MNI BRIEF: EU-Mercosur Deal's Fate To Be Decided At Summit

The European Union-Mercosur trade deal will most likely go to the EU summit on Thursday for a last-minute green light as France and Italy asked for more time for the text to be approved, a source close to the matter said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it would be premature to sign the deal in the coming days, pointing to early 2026 and noting that there are still no guarantees for Italian farmers to protect them from cheaper farm exports from South America.

The deal is due to be signed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa at the Mercosur summit in Brazil on Saturday and a delay would be seen as increasing the risk that the agreement could collapse. (See MNI: Trump Tensions Quell EU Resistance To Mercosur Deal)