Overview
- EU countries are slated to vote on the agreement on Friday, with a signing in Paraguay targeted as early as next week if approved, and final entry still requiring European Parliament consent.
- The European Commission’s package includes cutting import tariffs on certain fertilizers, advancing a mechanism to temporarily suspend the CO2 border levy for agriculture, and granting earlier access to €45 billion from the next farm budget.
- Political divisions persist as France, Poland, Hungary and Ireland say they will vote no, while Italy has signaled possible support after the concessions, suggesting a qualified majority may be achievable.
- Farmers protesting feared competition from cheaper South American imports by blocking routes into Paris and parking tractors near landmarks; authorities counted about 100 tractors and roughly 150 kilometers of traffic jams with restrictions around sensitive areas.
- German demonstrations blocked ramps on major motorways in several states, with police noting some unregistered gatherings dissolved and more than 300 officers deployed for traffic control in Brandenburg.