Overview
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said EU ambassadors were authorized to sign the agreement on December 19 and asserted there were no remaining objections from member states.
- EU diplomats and Council President António Costa described the step Merz cited as procedural rather than a political approval, with no decision taken at the summit.
- France’s Emmanuel Macron said final work continues, pointing to discussions on a Commission-proposed safeguard for farmers that could reimpose tariffs if imports surge.
- Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker stated he remains bound by a parliamentary mandate to oppose the deal and would vote no in its current form.
- The European Commission has delivered a legally reviewed text and projects export gains from removing most tariffs, but the agreement still requires member-state backing and European Parliament ratification.