At the EU summit in Brussels, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced an agreement among the 27 member states on the Mercosur free trade deal, which was corrected by Emmanuel Macron and António Costa. Merz claimed no reservations remained and ratification was imminent. Other leaders stressed that further work was needed.
The EU summit in Brussels lasted twelve hours and concluded with a controversial statement from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). After the consultations, he declared: "The path is clear for Mercosur." There had been a vote, and from the member states there were "no reservations anymore." "It's done. It's through." Merz predicted ratification after the next EU summit in December and signing on December 19.
This claim irritated several colleagues. French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that final work is ongoing, such as on a safeguard for EU farmers with higher tariffs if imports from Mercosur states rise sharply. "The work continues," he said. Everything is developing in the right direction, with a final answer only in the coming weeks.
EU Council President António Costa was surprised: He had only asked the leaders to discuss technical translation issues with their ambassadors to enable timely signing. "But that was it. We did not discuss it. We made no decisions."
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized he could not agree to the deal currently. "If voted on in the current situation, I will have no choice but to vote no, as I am bound by a parliamentary resolution."
The agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay has been negotiated since 1999 and would create a free trade zone with over 700 million inhabitants – the world's largest. The EU Commission concluded negotiations in December 2024 and presented the text in September 2025. It provides for the elimination of most tariffs, potentially boosting EU exports by up to 39 percent, especially cars and chemicals. Imports would include agricultural products and raw materials. Critics like France, Poland, and Italy fear disadvantages for the agricultural sector and increased rainforest destruction. Germany and industry are pushing for ratification, which requires a majority of states and the European Parliament. Geostrategically, it counters the tariff policy of US President Donald Trump.
Costa and Merz agree that signing should occur by year's end, though Merz specifies the exact date.