Brussels is pushing to vote on the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Latin American bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, collectively known as Mercosur) this week, with a final vote scheduled for Friday.

The European Commission is expected to release a statement soon, Magyar Nemzet writes, citing Politico sources, as it seeks to appease countries that have so far opposed the Latin American trade deal.

The vote now scheduled for Friday was already postponed, largely due to ongoing protests by farmers across Europe being opposed to the deal. Sources believe that the Commission has prepared new safeguards regarding payments to European farmers.

The move could win back the support of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who holds sway over her country’s agricultural lobby group. Italy has a virtually decisive vote on the deal. 

Von der Leyen cancels trip to Brazil to sign Mercosur deal after farmers descend on Brussels

If the Commission can provide assurances about the amounts of money allocated to farmers in the EU’s next seven-year budget from 2028 to 2034, it could help cushion the impact of a one-fifth cut to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), under which the bloc distributes subsidies to farmers.

Whether this will appease France and Poland is still in question, but only Italy matters, as without its vote, no block can succeed.

If the vote passes, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could finally fly to Paraguay next week to sign the agreement, which has been overdue for more than 25 years, notes Magyar Nemzet.

‘Stop Mercosur’ – Polish farmers protest catastrophic EU-South America free trade agreement, plan massive Warsaw protest on Jan. 9

This would create a free trade area covering more than 700 million people and eliminate tariffs on 90 percent of EU exports.

As to France, it plans to ban the import of food from South America or other countries containing pesticides banned in the European Union. During the protests, French farmers also blocked roads to protest the slaughter of cattle as part of strict measures to combat animal diseases, adding to ongoing tensions.

In an open letter to farmers, posted by French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard this past weekend, she sought to reassure the country’s farmers, announcing reinforced import controls and a decree banning food products with residues of substances prohibited in the EU.