French farmers outside Paris protest against the Mercosur trade deal, and a mandatory culling for cattle affected by a viral disease. A decision on the Mercosur trade deal had been expected to be made this week, potentially by leaders of the 27 member states at an EU summit starting on Thursday. “The indications that I have at the moment are that it may well be delayed until January,” Mr Byrne said. French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu recently asked Brussels to delay a decision on the Mercosur deal beyond a December 20th deadline. The trade deal needs the backing of a weighted majority of the EU’s 27 member states to be approved.

Source: The Irish Times December 16, 2025 22:35 UTC