Published: Jan 09, 2026, 21:21 IST | Updated: Jan 09, 2026, 21:21 IST
The EU gave on Friday, January 9, a long-delayed go-ahead to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers – overriding opposition led by France. A majority of the European Union's 27 nations backed the pact at an ambassadors' meeting in Brussels.