EU: Autonomous Duty Suspension Affecting Dried Cranberries
The Official Journal of the European Union has published Council Regulation (EU) 2025/2605 of 12 December 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2278, suspending Common Customs Tariff duties on certain agricultural and industrial products. Among the products assigned a 0% autonomous duty rate are sweetened dried cranberries for the manufacture of products of food processing industries (excluding packing or pasteurization alone as processing). This regulation applies as of January 1, 2026.
EU-MERCOSUR: Signing of Trade Deal Delayed as Commission Seeks Support of Member States
In late December 2025, the European Commission announced that it would delay the signing of the MERCOSUR trade agreement until after the new year, as reported by Euronews. The decision came after negotiations on December 18 between the Commission and the EU’s 27 member states failed to secure the qualified majority necessary for the deal to go ahead. Objections from France and Italy proved pivotal, with both countries pressing for a delay to secure stronger protections for farmers.
European Union agriculture ministers will meet for further political talks ahead of an expected vote on the deal on January 9, 2026, according to Euronews.
New Zealand–India: Free Trade Deal Reached
New Zealand and India concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement on December 22, 2025. Under the deal, duties will be eliminated on 100% of Indian exports to New Zealand, while 95% of New Zealand’s exports to India will be tariff-free or enjoy sharply reduced tariffs. According to the information currently available, nuts and dried fruits do not appear to be among the products explicitly excluded from tariff cuts; therefore, they should benefit from the broad liberalization of trade between the two countries. The deal envisages some tariffs being eliminated immediately upon the agreement coming into force, while others will be phased out gradually over several years.
With negotiations now concluded, the agreement will undergo legal verification in preparation for signature and public release. It is expected to be formally signed within the first half of 2026.
For further details, see the information released by New Zealand and by India.