French blockade looms over Commission’s plan to fast-track trade deals in English
Eager to unlock new markets for EU businesses, the European Commission plans to accelerate trade deal ratification by circulating only English versions for approval by EU governments and the European Parliament – but sources told Euronews that Paris is set to oppose the move if it goes ahead.
France plans to challenge a European Commission proposal to swiftly approve trade agreements by only using English versions during negotiations with EU governments and lawmakers. The move comes as the bloc seeks new markets amid rising geopolitical tensions. Translating agreements into all 24 official EU languages can take months due to legal scrutiny before ratification proceeds, costing the EU billions in lost revenue and export opportunities.
Commission trade chief Maroš Šefčovič suggested using English as the primary language for ratification, citing the Mercosur deal with India that ended on January 27. However, French officials insist they will defend using all EU languages, including French, which is one of the bloc's working languages. The Commission has confirmed it will still translate the agreements into all official EU languages after ratification is complete.
Experts warn that relying solely on English could cause issues for European Parliament members and national lawmakers.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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