Overview

• The Confédération paysanne led a demonstration on October 14 from the Esplanade des Invalides to the Eiffel Tower, urging President Emmanuel Macron to keep his pledge to block the agreement.
• Farm groups warn reduced EU tariffs would boost imports of sensitive goods including beef, poultry, pork, sugar and honey, with reported quotas such as 99,000 tonnes of beef and 180,000 tonnes of poultry.
• The European Commission proposed reinforced safeguard clauses in early September to allow rapid curbs on imports when national markets are disrupted and to closely monitor sensitive products.
• France, long publicly opposed to the text “in its current form,” has signaled openness after Commission assurances, while most EU governments back ratification and a blocking minority now appears unlikely.
• The protest also coincides with the Paris trial of two Confédération paysanne members facing charges linked to a previous demonstration, as the agreement moves toward a possible European Council decision before year‑end.