The European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) held a Brussels session on 3 November focused on the proposed Clean Trade and Investment Partnership (CTIP) with South Africa and safeguard clauses for agricultural imports under the EU-Mercosur deals. Although primarily trade-oriented, the agenda carries mobility implications: CTIP foresees streamlined business-visa lanes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications for renewable-energy engineers and mining-services specialists.
Belgian exporters – notably Antwerp’s diamond-finishing SMEs and Brussels-based renewable-consultancy firms – could benefit from faster deployment of staff to South African project sites. INTA rapporteurs pressed the Commission to ensure that mobility chapters include reciprocal 90-day visa-free stays for project-related work, mirroring CETA’s provisions with Canada.
![EU Parliament trade committee meets in Brussels, advances ‘Clean Trade’ accord with South Africa]()
The meeting also reviewed the EU-Mercosur interim safeguard mechanism, under which Belgium’s agri-food inspectors would handle increased volumes of origin checks if South-American poultry imports surge. The Association of European Chambers (Eurochambres) told MEPs that predictable visa processes are “as critical as tariff cuts” for SMEs expanding abroad.
Next steps include trilogue negotiations in December; if mobility chapters survive, Belgian companies may need to update global-assignment guidelines and health-insurance coverage for South Africa by mid-2026.
Belgian exporters – notably Antwerp’s diamond-finishing SMEs and Brussels-based renewable-consultancy firms – could benefit from faster deployment of staff to South African project sites. INTA rapporteurs pressed the Commission to ensure that mobility chapters include reciprocal 90-day visa-free stays for project-related work, mirroring CETA’s provisions with Canada.
The meeting also reviewed the EU-Mercosur interim safeguard mechanism, under which Belgium’s agri-food inspectors would handle increased volumes of origin checks if South-American poultry imports surge. The Association of European Chambers (Eurochambres) told MEPs that predictable visa processes are “as critical as tariff cuts” for SMEs expanding abroad.
Next steps include trilogue negotiations in December; if mobility chapters survive, Belgian companies may need to update global-assignment guidelines and health-insurance coverage for South Africa by mid-2026.
