A qualified majority of European states approved the free trade agreement with Mercosur, despite the opposition of farmers and France.

On January 9, a qualified majority of European states approved the free trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur, necessary for signing the largest trade agreement in the history of the EU. The decision was made by the ambassadors of the member states, and written confirmation will follow. Despite the support from the majority of countries, France, Ireland, Poland, and Hungary opposed it, citing risks to agriculture.

The Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Florin-Ionuț Barbu, requested additional guarantees for Romanian farmers and refused to sign the Memorandum regarding the agreement, demanding protective measures for the agricultural sector. Barbu also emphasized the importance of maintaining a fair common agricultural policy. The agreement, which has been negotiated for over 25 years, will need to be ratified by the European Parliament, even though it has been signed.