European Union member states are expected on Friday to approve the bloc’s largest-ever free trade agreement with the South American Mercosur group.
Negotiations have spanned more than 25 years, with months of last-minute wrangling to secure backing from key EU nations.
The deal will be signed between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mercosur partners Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay once formal approvals are in place. The European Parliament must also ratify the accord before it can enter into force.
The European Commission, along with countries like Germany and Spain, argues that the deal is crucial to unlock new markets. Officials say it will help offset lost business from U.S. tariffs and reduce Europe’s reliance on China for critical minerals.
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Opposition comes mainly from France, the EU’s largest agricultural producer, concerned that cheap imports of beef, poultry, and sugar will undercut domestic farmers. Farmers have staged protests across the bloc, including road blockades in France on Thursday.
Environmental groups have also criticised the deal. Friends of the Earth called it a “climate-wrecking” agreement.
The accord will eliminate €4 billion ($4.66 billion) in EU export tariffs. Mercosur countries currently maintain high duties, including 35% on car parts, 28% on dairy, and 27% on wine.
The trade deal aims to expand evenly split goods trade, projected at €111 billion in 2024.
EU exports are dominated by machinery, chemicals, and transport equipment, while Mercosur exports focus on agriculture, minerals, and pulp and paper.
To address concerns, the European Commission has introduced safeguards to suspend imports of sensitive farm products, tightened controls on pesticide residues, created a crisis fund, accelerated support for farmers, and pledged cuts on fertilizer duties.
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EU ambassadors will signal their governments’ positions on Friday, with 15 countries representing 65% of the bloc’s population needed to approve the deal.
Italy appears to have shifted from opposition to support. France has vowed to continue lobbying against the agreement in the EU assembly, where the vote could be close.
German Social Democrat Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, expressed confidence the deal will pass, with a final vote likely in April or May.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
