Overview
- EU ambassadors approved moving to sign the EU‑Mercosur agreement on 9 January via the qualified‑majority procedure, according to diplomats cited by Reuters.
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could sign the pact as early as next week in Paraguay, with final entry into force still contingent on a European Parliament vote.
- France confirmed it will vote against the deal after days of farmer protests, but its stance does not stop adoption since multiple member states, including Italy, support the agreement.
- French farmer actions continued with blockades and slow‑roll operations around Paris and northern highways, with the Interior Ministry reporting 67 actions, about 2,200 protesters and more than 600 tractors.
- Domestic fallout intensified as the Rassemblement National and La France insoumise announced motions of censure, while Brussels highlights new safeguard clauses and import controls to reassure skeptics.