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EU member states have provisionally backed a controversial trade deal with the Mercosur bloc of South American countries despite continued protests by farmers against the pact.

Only France, Poland, Hungary, Austria and Ireland voted against the EU’s biggest-ever trade deal, while Belgium abstained, according to two EU diplomats.

Italy, whose backing is vital for the deal’s approval, voted in favour after securing concessions from the European Commission for farmers.

The indicative vote by ambassadors from EU member states needs to be confirmed by ministers later on Friday and still requires the approval of the European parliament.

The deal, which has taken 25 years to negotiate, will cut almost all trade tariffs in a market of 700mn people. Mercosur includes South America’s biggest countries, Brazil and Argentina, along with Uruguay and Paraguay.

While European industry backed the pact, farmers have staged violent demonstrations against it.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would oppose it because “there is unanimous political rejection of the agreement” in the country.

In recent weeks Brussels has offered several concessions to farmers to secure the support of Italy and other agricultural powerhouses for the deal.

This week the Commission proposed allowing member states to funnel an extra €45bn to farmers in a new seven-year budget from 2028.

The EU has also agreed safeguards that would protect them from market disruption from increased Mercosur imports.