Vital support, from one of the two countries that have so far opposed it, won by the European Commission for the controversial EU-Mercosur deal
Protest of European farmers in Brussels, Belgium, on December 18, 2025. PHOTO: Werner Lerooy / Alamy / Profimedia
The European Commission appears on Tuesday to have won Italy's crucial support for the controversial free trade agreement with the countries of the South American bloc Mercosur, which paves the way for the EU to sign the agreement as early as next week, writes Reuters.
Last month, Italy and France dashed hopes for a deal in December, saying they were not ready to back it until farmers' fears about an influx of cheap products to be imported from Mercosur countries, including beef and sugar, were resolved.
However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the letter sent by the European Commission on Tuesday proposing to speed up €45 billion in support for farmers, describing the proposal as a “positive and significant step forward”.
Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said the European Union is now proposing to increase spending on Italian agriculture between 2028 and 2034, instead of reducing it.
An EU source later said Italy would now vote in favor of the trade deal with the Mercosur states (which include Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) at Friday's meeting.
The commission, backed by countries such as Germany and Spain, is trying to get the broad majority of 15 members of the bloc, representing 65% of the Union's population, needed to authorize the EU to sign the agreement, possibly as early as January 12.
The biggest EU agreement in terms of customs duty reductions
These countries say the deal, which has been in the works for 25 years and would be the EU's biggest agreement on tariff cuts, is vital for boosting exports hit by US import duties and reducing dependence on China by securing access to essential minerals.
With Poland and Hungary opposed to the deal and France still critical, Italy's position is a determining factor for signing the deal.
The Commission has held talks with member states for the past two weeks and the EU bloc is on track to sign the agreement soon, a spokesman for the Executive led by Ursula von der Leyen said.
The EU executive invited all 27 agriculture ministers from member countries to a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.
European commissioners for agriculture, trade and health are expected to offer assurances on future funding for farmers under the bloc's common agricultural policy (CAP), including a 6.3 billion euro ($7.4 billion) crisis fund in the next EU budget.
The Commission's decision to merge regional cohesion and CAP funds in the next seven-year budget has alarmed farming countries.
The commission will also review import controls, including maximum levels of pesticide residues, two EU diplomats said.
“It is a critical moment to discuss the farmers' demands,” said one of the diplomats.
