Next, the newsletter of Europa Today which every Monday morning tells you what will happen in the European week
Top of the agenda
Trip to Paraguay – With the green light received on 9 January from the 27 ambassadors to the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur – the South American common market which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is expected in Paraguay on Saturday 17 January for the official signing of the document which opens the doors to a market of over 700 million consumers. “I can’t wait to go to Paraguay so we can start this new era together”, commented the president of the EU executive herself.
Why it matters – The EU-Mercosur agreement aims to create a vast free trade area, reducing or eliminating most customs duties between the two blocs. For European countries it would mean more space to export cars, machinery, chemical-pharmaceutical and agri-food products. For Latin American countries, however, greater access to the European Single Market to export raw materials and agricultural products, from meat to sugar, from poultry to soya. But for Brussels it is also an opportunity to diversify its trading partners, decreasing dependence on the US market subjected to Trump’s tariffs and his hegemonic doctrine on the American continent that emerged with the military operation in Venezuela.
A bumpy ride – After 25 years of negotiations and a first preliminary agreement reached (and then shelved) in 2019, the first agreement on the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement was reached in December 2024 with a lightning negotiation conducted by von der Leyen in Montevideo. Since then, the tormented process of approval by the two co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, began.
The December slide – The first stop came last December 19th, when they arrived in Brussels thousands of tractors to protest against the commercial agreement which, according to European farmers, would favor forms of unfair competition due to the less restrictive legislation of South American countries regarding health on farms. President von der Leyen was already ready to travel to Brazil for the signature, but Italy’s skepticism – in addition to the stiff opposition from France and Poland – proved decisive in postponing the agreement, pending new guarantees to protect farmers and European countries.
The guarantees of the Commission – To break the deadlock in the Council, the von der Leyen cabinet has foreseen various measures to support the European agri-food sector. In addition to a bilateral safeguard clause in the agreement – which would temporarily suspend it if agricultural imports exceed pre-established quotas – Brussels has announced the allocation of a further 45 billion euros to support farmers in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Furthermore, an easing of obligations for the fertilizer sector under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Cbam) in force from 1 January was promised, which requires European importers to pay for the emissions produced by goods coming from third countries.
Italy’s green light – The Meloni government would have thought so the Commission’s concessions are sufficient to give their “yes” to the trade agreement during the meeting of the 27 ambassadors on January 9th. In the absence of formal ministerial meetings until 19 January, the Council’s vote went through a written procedure which, with only 5 against (France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and Hungary, not enough to hinder the qualified majority) and Belgium abstained, unblocked von der Leyen’s trip to Paraguay. Pending ratification of the final agreement, an interim agreement, also approved by the Council, will remain in force.
What happens now – After the ceremony to be held in Paraguay, the next steps for finalizing the agreement include ratification by the European Parliament and the 27 national parliaments, where the risk of blockage is still real in those countries that have not given the green light to Brussels. Everything will end again with the authorization of the conclusion by the ambassadors and the Council.
Green light for the EU-Mercosur treaty: five countries (including France) against the agreement, Italy voted in favor
Other hot topics
Everyone in Nicosia – As per tradition at the beginning of each rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, the College of Commissioners led by President von der Leyen will travel to the capital that took over the leadership of the EU institution. Between Thursday 15th and Friday 16th the commissioners’ work will therefore take place in Nicosia, where the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, will host and lead the discussions on key political issues for European interests.
The program – The visit will begin with a tour along the Green Line, the demilitarized area established by the United Nations in 1974 along the ceasefire line established after the military intervention on the island by the Turkish army. After more than 50 years, the island is divided into two: the Republic of Cyprus – an EU member since 2004 – and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state recognized only by Turkey. This will be followed by meetings between Cypriot commissioners and ministers and a bilateral meeting between von der Leyen and Christodoulides, before a plenary session and press conference.
The priorities of the Cypriot presidency – According to what Christodoulides himself illustrated during the inauguration ceremony of the Cypriot presidency, in the next six months Nicosia will focus on preparing for the defense and security of Europe, finding itself facing a constantly changing geopolitical context, with Trump’s unpredictable moves, from the peace negotiations in Ukraine to threats regarding the annexation of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark (EU and NATO member country). Other priorities include work on the possible accession of new members – in particular Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine – and on the framework for the negotiations of next EU multiannual budget 2028-2034.
More freedom of movement for European armies in an anti-Russian function: the “military Schengen”
Cybersecurity review – According to the agenda of the items on the agenda of the College of Commissioners, the evaluation and review of the Cybersecurity Act – the regulation which in 2019 established a European certification framework for cyber security and to address digital attacks across the EU – is scheduled for Wednesday 14 January – scheduled every five years. The proposed revision should respond to the growing responsibilities of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (Enisa) and accelerate the implementation of the EU certification system, which is currently limited only to the European cybersecurity system for information technologies (the development of that for cloud services, 5G, digital identity wallets and managed security services is awaited).
Anti-racism strategy – Also on Wednesday 14 January, the Commission is expected to present its new anti-racism strategy, which will replace the 2020-2025 action plan. Expected for the last quarter of last year, the strategy was then delayed to 2026 and should count on the support of civil society organisations, EU agencies and Equinet (the European network of equality bodies) to tackle racism towards various minority groups in the EU in all its manifestations with new – non-legislative – initiatives.
From the European Parliament
Tensions over tariffs – The vote of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (Agri) on the draft opinion on the adjustment of US duties and the opening of tariff quotas for the import of goods from Washington is expected on Monday 12 January. The vote comes in the context of growing tensions also linked to Trump’s threats on Greenland, with progressive groups and some of the popular groups increasingly reluctant to give the green light to the agreement on trade between the EU and the United States signed in the summer of 2025 by von der Leyen, which imposed US tariffs of 15 percent on European exports compared to the elimination of European tariffs on US imports.
Accessible and sustainable construction – Also on Monday 12 January, members of the special commission on the housing crisis (Hous) will discuss with the Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, the new plan for public housing presented last December 16 by the von der Leyen cabinet. MEPs will question the Commissioner on the plan’s key measures, implementation strategy and contribution to resolving the EU housing crisis.
Rights on the plane – MEPs in the Transport and Tourism Committee (Tran) will adopt on Monday 12 January their amendments to the position agreed by EU governments on an update of air passenger rights in the event of flight cancellations, delays and denied boarding. Among the measures that will be voted on are a single deadline for compensation after a three-hour delay, the right to carry a personal item and a small trolley on board free of charge and strengthened rights for vulnerable travellers.
International challenges – A discussion will be held on Wednesday 14 January between the leaders of the political groups in Parliament, President Roberta Metsola and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on the state of international affairs and the role of the EU in current geopolitical challenges, in particular after the latest US actions in Venezuela and Greenland.
Strategic defense partnerships – The Committee on Security and Defense (Headquarters) will take stock of the EU’s defense partnerships on Thursday 15 January, including those with the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, South Korea, Japan, Moldova, Albania, North Macedonia, the United States and Ukraine. Recommendations will also be adopted on how to align the more general objectives of building a solid defense policy for the Union and the issue of relations with NATO will also be addressed.
Pre-plenary preparations – In view of the first plenary scheduled between 19 and 22 January, the presidents of the political groups will define the final agenda of the session on Friday 16 January. The main topics will include the results of the European Council in December, the solemn session with the King of Spain and the President of Portugal to celebrate the 40 years of the two countries’ membership of the EU and the discussion on the program of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council. Discussions and votes will then be held on the EU’s foreign, security and defense policy, on the need to adapt to new security challenges – such as drones and new warfare systems – on air passenger rights and on strengthening the availability and security of supply of essential medicines. The plenary will also vote on a report assessing EU-US relations, technological sovereignty and European digital infrastructure.
For journalists – Parliament’s press service will hold a press conference with spokespersons of the political groups at 11.00 on Friday 16 January (Anna Politkovskaya room, Brussels) on all issues under discussion and vote during the next plenary session.
