The EU-Mercosur Agreement provisionally entered into force on May 1, 2026, opening preferential access for most goods traded between South America and Europe. The agreement is expected to create one of the largest free trade areas in the world, connecting more than 700 million consumers and gradually reducing tariffs over as long as 15 years on most products traded between the two regions, opening new opportunities for exporters in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
As access to the European market evolves, buyers are expected to keep placing significant weight on supplier trust. Food safety, traceability, sustainability, and responsible production carry more weight than ever in how buyers choose supply chain partners.
QIMA offers independent certification, audits, inspections, and verification services that help exporters demonstrate alignment with buyer expectations, regulatory bodies, and the market across global supply chains. Market access requirements vary by product category, destination country, importer requirements, and applicable regulations.
Start your Export Passport Assessment to identify the certification and assurance services that can support your export readiness and buyer requirements: Start Your Export Passport Assessment
Note: "Export Passport" is the name QIMA gives to this readiness assessment — the EU-Mercosur Agreement itself does not create an official passport. The closest regulatory equivalent is the EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP), a separate sustainability and traceability requirement that starts taking effect in 2027. QIMA can help you prepare for both.
Why an Export Passport?
Every country has a passport. Every exporter needs credible proof for buyers.
Successfully entering international markets takes more than producing a quality product. Buyers increasingly expect evidence that operations meet recognized standards for food safety, traceability, sustainability, and responsible sourcing. Think of every certification, audit, inspection, or verification as one more way to strengthen buyer confidence in your operation and your supply chain.
What Changed on May 1, 2026
With the provisional entry into force, nearly 80% of the items Brazil exports to Europe are now duty-free, including coffee, vegetable oils, and fruit, with more than 5,000 product lines becoming more competitive.
Some categories, such as beef, poultry, and sugar, remain subject to export quotas, and 224 geographical indications (including cachaça and Patagonian lamb) are now protected against imitation. To access these benefits, every shipment needs to present the correct proof of origin, the same kind of evidence buyers expect from your certifications.
Your Export Passport — Every Stamp Builds Buyer Confidence
Food Safety
Demonstrate commitment to internationally recognized food safety management systems. Relevant services:
Good Agricultural Practices
Build trust from the farm up, through recognized agricultural and operational practices. Relevant services:
Sustainability & Traceability
Bring more transparency to environmental and responsible agricultural practices. Gain more visibility across your supply chain through independent verification and assessment activities. Relevant services:
Responsible Supply Chains
Build trust across every operation and activity in your supply chain. Relevant services:
Export Readiness
Reduce commercial risk before products reach their destination. Relevant services:
More Opportunity. More Requirements.
As access to the European market expands under the EU-Mercosur Agreement, European buyers are expected to keep prioritizing suppliers who can demonstrate:
Requirements vary by customer and product category, but demonstrating consistent operational practices can help strengthen buyer confidence and support trade negotiations.
How QIMA Supports Your Export Journey
Whether you're preparing your first shipment to Europe or expanding existing export operations, QIMA offers independent assurance services that support transparency, traceability, and operational confidence across your supply chain, the same services in your Export Passport described above, under a single relationship with QIMA.
Managing Your Certification Journey
For clients certified in BRCGS, SQF, and IFS, myQIMA provides greater visibility into certification activity and audit management workflows. Through myQIMA, clients can:
Track certification progress
Monitor non-conformities
Follow corrective actions
Access certification documents
Stay on top of upcoming certification activities and renewal deadlines
Start Your Export Passport Assessment
Answer a few quick questions and get guidance on the certification and assurance services best aligned with your export goals and your operation's profile. The assessment takes about 2 minutes.
You'll tell us:
Where you're located
What products you export
Which markets you're targeting
Which certifications you already hold
What operational challenges you want to solve