Farmers dump potato trucks in protest against the EU-Mercosur agreement and are charged by Brussels city hall; VIDEO

Last Friday (9), the EU Permanent Representatives Committee approved, by qualified majority, the agreement after 26 years of negotiation — with 21 votes in favor, five against (France, Ireland, Poland, Austria and Hungary) and one abstention (Belgium). The expected tariff reduction is significant: around 90% of products — both agricultural and industrial — will have customs barriers eliminated between the blocks.