EditMacron seeks ‘new’ Mercosur deal as EU signing delayed amid farmer fury
France’s call for a revamped deal underscores the delicate balance between free trade ambitions and protecting Europe's rural heartlands
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday framed a one-month delay in signing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement as an opportunity to forge a “new” pact with stronger protections for European farmers, insisting the current version remains unbalanced despite provisional safeguards agreed earlier this week.
Speaking after the EU summit in Brussels, Macron said it was premature to judge whether the postponement – pushed to January – would suffice to meet France’s demands.
“I hope that during this month, the European Union and Mercosur countries will approve measures ensuring reciprocity,” he told reporters.
Such steps, enforcing equivalent standards on pesticides, animal welfare, and food safety for South American imports, would effectively transform the deal into a “new” EU-Mercosur agreement, he argued.
The delay, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to EU leaders on Thursday, scuppers plans for a ceremonial signing in Brazil this weekend. Von der Leyen had been scheduled to travel to Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, but Italy’s request for additional time – needed to placate domestic farmers – deprived the initiative of the required broad majority support among member states.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a statement, affirmed readiness to back the pact once agricultural concerns are resolved, suggesting this could happen “quickly.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who spoke with Meloni by phone, said she did not oppose the deal outright but required up to a month for internal consultations. Lula, hosting a Mercosur summit on Saturday, plans to discuss next steps with partners Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The 25-year negotiation, concluded in principle a year ago, would create the EU’s largest trade accord by tariff reductions, eliminating duties on 91% of EU exports to the bloc while opening European markets to South American goods. Proponents like Germany, Spain, and Nordic countries highlight benefits for exports battered by U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump and access to critical minerals, reducing dependence on China.
Yet opposition from agricultural heavyweights persists. France, the EU’s top farm producer, joined by Italy, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Ireland, fears an influx of cheap beef, poultry, sugar, and ethanol produced under laxer standards.
Macron reiterated: “As we speak, we are not ready; the numbers do not add up.”
A provisional compromise on safeguards – reached Wednesday between the Commission, Parliament, and Council – lowers import surge triggers to 8% and pledges enhanced inspections. Farmers, however, remain unconvinced.
Thursday’s summit coincided with violent protests in Brussels, where around 7,000 demonstrators – mostly farmers – hurled potatoes, rocks, and fireworks, prompting police to deploy tear gas and water cannons.
This is what opposition to the EU-Mercosur trade deal looks like: hundreds of angry farmers in Brussels setting fires and smashing windows. They complain of unfair competition & are furious at the EU. Others warn derailing the deal now would be a geopolitical disaster for Europe. pic.twitter.com/S08iMBd1xg
— Rosie Birchard (@RosieBirchard) December 18, 2025
In France, ongoing highway blockades over lumpy skin disease and broader grievances amplify pressure on Macron to hold firm. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the pact at the summit, calling it essential for Europe’s “geo-economic and geopolitical weight” amid challenges from adversaries like Vladimir Putin and shifting alliances.
With approval requiring a qualified majority (15 countries representing 65% of the EU population), Italy’s pivotal stance could prove decisive.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Caption: Farmers lit a fire during farmers’ protest in Brussels, Belgium, 18 December 2025. Thousands of farmers from across Europe protested in Brussels, bringing tractors near EU institutions to denounce EU agricultural and trade policies, particularly the EU-Mercosur deal, CAP reforms, and rising regulatory and financial pressures, during an EU leaders’ summit. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS
Updated: December 19, 2025 - 07:32
