France Urges Rejection as EU Sets Mid-December Votes, Brazil Presses Dec. 20 Signing

Overview

• France’s National Assembly passed a non-binding resolution by 244–1 calling on the government to oppose the EU‑Mercosur agreement.
• Europe minister Benjamin Haddad said the 2024 text is unacceptable in its current form and demanded stronger safeguards, mirror clauses, and tighter sanitary controls.
• European lawmakers are due to vote on reinforced agricultural safeguard monitoring on 16 December, followed by an EU member‑state decision between 16 and 19 December by qualified majority.
• Paris cannot veto the deal alone and is seeking a blocking minority as backers including Germany and Spain line up support, with calls also surfacing to seek European Court of Justice review.
• Brazil insists on a 20 December signing ceremony in Brasília even as the Mercosur leaders’ summit is expected to slip to January due to uncertainty over attendance by Argentina and Paraguay.