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It never rains but it pours %u2026 Farmers%u2019 demonstrations in Greece and France, five Member States which did not accept the EU-Mercosur agreement in Council, and then its postponement in the European Parliament and the involvement of the European Court of Justice.Last but not least , the %u00a0EU decided the signature and provisional application of Mercosur on 1 %u039cay 2026. Irrespective of these developments, it is worth focusing on its maritime implications, particularly for Greece.The upheaval over the %u201csacred cow%u201d of the agreement's agricultural implications has diverted attention from its beneficial implications for the EU maritime sector, both liner and bulk tramp. The agreement opens EU access to a market of 271 million consumers and provides mutual commitments to the liberalisation of maritime transport on a commercial basis. The Mercosur countries had, par excellence, protectionist shipping legislation, and it took 25 years of negotiations for them to accept liberalisation. The Mercosur cargoes will be carried by sea. Who will be transporting them? European shipping, and preeminently Greek shipping. Greek shipping requires open trades to survive, since it is a cross-trader. The agreement covers a wide range of cargoes, from cars, machinery, and finished products to bulk commodities and rare earths.But where is the hidden gem, particularly for Greek shipping, in the EU-Mercosur agreement? It lies in Article 2(g) bis of Chapter XXX, which includes the so-called %u201cGreek shipping clause%u201d among its beneficiaries. Among the beneficiaries (natural persons and legal entities of the EU and Mercosur), the clause %u2014 inspired by the Greek shipping registration system (Article 5 of the Code of Greek Public Maritime Law, Legislative Decree 187/1973) %u2014 provides that: %u201cmaritime companies established outside the EU or Mercosur but controlled by nationals of an EU MemThe hidden gem of the Greek shipping clauseEU-Mercosur Agreementby Dr Anna Bredima,Consultant on International / EU maritime affairsMaritime affairs130 NX