EU Push for Mercosur Pact Advances as Italy Backs Deal and France Imposes Import Curbs

Overview

• Ursula von der Leyen proposed early access to roughly €45 billion in future CAP funding to cushion farmers and unlock member‑state support.
• EU trade, agriculture and health commissioners met national ministers in Brussels to offer guarantees and to review import rules, including pesticide residue thresholds.
• France published a one‑year suspension on imports containing residues of five EU‑banned pesticides—mancozeb, thiophanate‑methyl, carbendazim, benomyl and glufosinate—triggering a 10‑day review by the European Commission.
• The Commission also floated concessions such as dropping tariffs on urea (6.5%) and ammonia (5.5%) and encouraging temporary carbon‑border tax exemptions for certain imports.
• Italy signaled support following the funding offer, EU ambassadors are expected to decide by the end of the week with a possible signing as soon as next week, and opposition from France, Poland and Hungary plus European Parliament approval still loom.