Farmers continue to mobilize on French roads. The European Council gave the green light on Friday to the signing of the EU-Mercosur agreement. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her delight on X at what she described as a "historic" decision.
© FNSEA
EU Council confirms Mercosur signature
France's vote against the EU-Mercosur agreement, alongside Poland, Hungary, Ireland, and Austria, was not enough. In the face of farmers' protests, Emmanuel Macron had announced the day before that France would vote against the agreement at the meeting of Member State ambassadors scheduled for the following day. However, Paris was unable to form a blocking minority. On the morning of Friday, January 9th, the Council of the European Union therefore adopted a decision authorizing the signing of the partnership agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, despite France's vote against it.
On Sunday, January 11th, the European Commission announced that Ursula von der Leyen would be travelling to Paraguay on January 17th to officially sign the agreement.
"A betrayal of European agricultural sovereignty": FNSEA calls for action in Strasbourg on January 20th
On Saturday, FNSEA denounced what it described as "a betrayal of European agricultural sovereignty" and announced a day of action next week.
"On January 20th in Strasbourg, a large-scale mobilization will demand that MEPs refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union to suspend the agreement." This is all the more important given that the free trade agreement can come into force 'provisionally and immediately' under 'ordinary law' as soon as it is signed, even before being ratified by Parliament, as Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard pointed out on BFM TV on Monday.
MERCOSUR: "We will be mobilized on January 20th in Strasbourg, in front of the European Parliament, so that MEPs understand that this agreement penalizes our agriculture and refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union." - @yohannbarbe, FNSEA spokesperson on...pic.twitter.com/Sun4YQqEOI
- FNSEA (@FNSEA) January 9, 2026
Roadblock on A1
The A1 highway, a major route linking France to Belgium and the Netherlands, is affected by the mobilization. On Monday, January 12th, farmers set up a roadblock at the Fresnes-lès-Montauban toll plaza in the Pas-de-Calais department.
😡🚨 MOBILIZATION ON A1
On the A1 highway, 100 tractors, 200 farmers, and already more than 100 citizens are holding out in the wind and cold.
They are there, holding out, not giving up.
👉 We're deciding against them from afar.
👉 We're sacrificing those who feed the country.
➡️ Enough... pic.twitter.com/784WSdYczI
- Let's block everything! (@bloquonstout) January 12, 2026
France-Spain highway still closed
The mobilization of Catalan farmers continues. According to the Vinci Autoroutes update published on Monday, transit between France and Spain remained severely disrupted. The AP-7 in Spain remained blocked at Figueras. This closure, combined with that of the A63 highway, is having a major impact on traffic between France and the Iberian Peninsula.
The A64 remained blocked
Vinci Autoroutes also confirms that, on Monday morning, the A63 reopened at Bayonne following the departure of the demonstrators and the completion of cleaning and repair operations.
However, there was no change on the A64 highway, which remained blocked at Carbonne. This strategic point, where the movement began a month ago, remained completely closed, still complicating travel and the transport of goods.
Oil depots and sewage treatment plants blocked
Farmers belonging to FNSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers' Union) have been blocking the Colmar and Sausheim sewage treatment plants in the Haut-Rhin region since very early on Monday morning. They are protesting against the increase in taxes on water abstraction.
#DNC #AccordUEMercosur: in #Savoie oil depots blocked in Albens since January 8th. 📢✊🚜 pic.twitter.com/HuiiGh1VrA
- Conf' Paysanne (@ConfPaysanne) January 12, 2026
Blockade at Le Havre harbor to check trucks
In Normandy, farmers (Young Farmers' Union) have been mobilizing for the past three days at the port of Le Havre. Blockades have been set up at the entrance to the container terminal to check truck loads entering and leaving the port, and to block products that do not meet the standards imposed on French farmers.
"If we want to check goods, we have no choice:" farmers set a blockade in the port of Le Havre to denounce the EU-Mercosur agreement pic.twitter.com/HKkVk35j7p
- BFM (@BFMTV) January 12, 2026
