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EU-Mercosur deal expected to boost Brazilian footwear exports

Apr 30, 2026 Brazil

Optimism has been expressed by the Brazilian footwear industry regarding the potential impact of the provisional entry of the EU-Mercosur deal on the 1st of May, which is expected to provide a boost to the export sector

The Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) has stated that the EU-Mercosur trade deal will benefit the Brazilian footwear sector in the medium and long term, given that the European bloc accounts for 40% of global imports.

According to data compiled by Abicalçados, last year, the Brazilian industry exported 17.4 million pairs of shoes to the European bloc, which is 5.2% more than in 2024.

“In terms of tariffs, it creates opportunities for competitive gains against international competitors, primarily in Asia, or for tariff alignment with countries with which the European Union already has an agreement in place, such as Vietnam, once the duty-free period ends”, explained Haroldo Ferreira, Executive President of the organisation.

Under the agreement, the EU will phase out tariffs on imports of footwear from Mercosur over a period of up to ten years, depending on the product category. The current tariff rates of 3.5 to 17% will be reduced progressively from the moment the agreement comes into force, which is expected to boost Brazil’s competitiveness.

However, Abicalçados has expressed concerns that non-EU producers, particularly those in Asia, could exploit EU countries as export platforms to benefit from the agreement’s tariff preferences. To address this, the rules of origin stipulate that lower-value footwear must contain at least 60% regional content and prohibit the use of uppers from non-participating countries.

Image Credits: epthinktank.eu

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