Overview
- Leaders signed the agreement in Asunción, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa attending, while Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sent his foreign minister.
- The pact removes tariffs on more than 90% of bilateral trade, phases many cuts over 10–15 years, and applies quotas and safeguard measures on sensitive agricultural products.
- Member states cleared the deal by qualified majority despite opposition from France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and Hungary, and the Commission pledged €45 billion in additional support for EU farmers.
- Farmer protests in France, Ireland, Poland and Belgium highlighted concerns over cheaper imports and production standards, adding pressure ahead of the European Parliament vote.
- Separately, India and the EU report 20 of 24 FTA chapters closed, with agriculture largely excluded and the EU’s CBAM still a major sticking point as negotiators target the late‑January summit.