Overview
- EU governments cleared the deal on Jan. 9, and the European Commission says Ursula von der Leyen will sign it in Paraguay on Jan. 17.
- Dozens to hundreds of tractors rolled into Paris, with police counting around 150 by early morning and organizers planning up to 300, as unions FNSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs led rallies near key sites.
- European Parliament critics have secured a referral vote next week to ask the EU Court of Justice for a legal review, and Poland’s agriculture minister says he will push for a separate national complaint.
- To secure backing, Brussels paired the pact with tougher import safeguards and a €45 billion budget move that lets countries channel more funds to farmers, alongside quotas such as an extra 99,000 tonnes of beef.
- Supporters argue the agreement creates a market spanning over 700 million people, removes most tariffs over time, and could lift EU exports by about €49 billion by 2040, offering trade diversification.