Farmers block Brussels roads as EU-Mercosur trade talks loom, Italy raises stakes

BRUSSELS — Thousands of farmers in tractors blocked roads around the Belgian capital during an EU leaders’ summit, hurling potatoes and eggs and lighting fireworks as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. The protests outside the European Union meeting in Brussels underscored opposition to the EU-Mercosur free-trade pact with South American nations, with protesters arguing the deal would undercut their livelihoods. The demonstrations came as leaders prepared to discuss amending or delaying the agreement, while also weighing a separate proposal to seize Russian assets for use in Ukraine.

Italian leaders joined the French-led opposition to signing the massive transatlantic free-trade deal, signaling reservations that complicate the path to the accord. French President Emmanuel Macron, arriving for the summit, said bluntly that the agreement cannot be signed “as it stands,” pressing for further concessions and additional discussions in January. “We are not ready. It doesn’t add up,” Macron said, adding that the pact could not be signed if it would expose farmers to greater disruption. He noted that France has sought safeguards to monitor and mitigate large economic disruption, including stricter import inspections at EU ports and tighter environmental standards in Mercosur countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed determination to sign the agreement, but she needs backing from at least two-thirds of EU nations. Italy’s opposition would provide enough votes to veto the signature, placing pressure on the bloc to address concerns about agriculture and regulation. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni told Parliament that signing in the coming days would be premature, echoing the concerns raised by Paris and others. Meloni framed the issue as one of reciprocal guarantees for agriculture, saying Italy would approve the pact only if safeguards were robust and properly enforced.

The accord has been negotiated for 25 years and would, if ratified, cover a market of about 780 million people and a quarter of the globe’s GDP. Supporters argue it would offer a clear alternative to China’s growing influence and to Washington’s tariff-driven trade approach, while critics warn it could erode environmental standards and the EU’s iconic agricultural sector. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that delaying or scrapping the deal could damage the EU’s credibility in global trade policy, insisting that decisions must be taken now if the bloc is to remain competitive.

Analysts note that the Mercosur deal sits at the center of broader geopolitical competition with China over Latin America. Agathe Demarais, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the deal’s failure to sign could push Latin American economies closer to Beijing’s orbit, complicating Europe’s strategic position. Despite the likelihood of a delay, von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa are still slated to sign the agreement in Brazil on Saturday. Von der Leyen argued that the ties created by the pact would help Europe diversify its trade and reduce over-dependence on any single partner, emphasizing the importance of moving forward if reciprocal protections can be guaranteed.

The Mercosur bloc — led by Brazil and Argentina, with the support of Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia — has faced political tensions that have tested its cohesion in recent years. Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has championed the deal as a milestone for regional integration and a way to defend multilateralism amid broader questions about the United States and China. At a cabinet meeting in Brasília, Lula said the Saturday signing would be a make-or-break moment for the agreement, signaling a strong push to seal a deal before Brazil’s next general elections. He added that delaying indefinitely would jeopardize Brazil’s ability to secure future accords while he remains president.

Lula’s ally in the region, Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei, has also expressed support for the agreement, framing Mercosur as a vehicle to unlock access to global markets rather than a shield against external competition. Milei has previously called for Mercosur to be leveraged as a strategic tool to penetrate international markets, a stance that aligns with a broader push from some South American leaders to deepen ties with Europe and the United States as a counterbalance to China.

As the Brussels summit unfolds, negotiators are expected to grapple with how to balance agricultural safeguards with the broader economic and strategic goals of the deal. The discussions also come at a time when European leaders are weighing measures to strengthen sanctions and financial tools related to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including the potential seizure of assets. While protests on the streets of Brussels highlight domestic concerns, officials emphasized that the summit’s broader agenda includes stabilizing EU trade relations and ensuring that any expansion of free trade aligns with Europe’s environmental and social standards.

The day’s developments reflect a complex balancing act: sustaining Europe’s strategic partnerships and economic growth while protecting farmers who fear being squeezed by new competition, and navigating the political dynamics within EU member states that could shape the bloc’s trade policy for years to come. As leaders push for a resolution, farmers in Brussels and their supporters in member countries remain vigilant, pressing for concessions that secure their livelihoods without derailing a major treaty that proponents say could reshape global trade in the coming decades.