Overview
- EU member states adopted the agreement by qualified majority on January 9, with France formally voting against and finding itself in a minority.
- The European Commission is expected to sign the text soon, reportedly in Paraguay in mid‑January, with provisional application still possible before a European Parliament vote.
- Farmer mobilizations in France continued after the vote, with road actions in Paris and Strasbourg and unions promising new demonstrations in the coming days.
- Opposition parties escalated the political fight, as the Rassemblement National and La France insoumise announced motions of censure and 150 MEPs signaled potential legal challenges.
- Key terms include tariff‑rate quotas of 99,000 tonnes of beef over six years and 180,000 tonnes of poultry over five years, fueling fears of unfair competition even as some exporters, such as winemakers, see opportunities.