European Parliament requests EU court to review trade agreement with South American bloc

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution requesting the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to provide a legal opinion on whether the recently signed trade agreement between the EU and the South American Mercosur bloc complies with the bloc's treaties.

The resolution passed with 334 votes in favor, 324 against, and 11 abstentions during the European Parliament plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

Following the vote, the ECJ will review the legal basis of both the full EU-Mercosur partnership agreement and the interim trade agreement.

The European Parliament said in a statement that it will continue its examination of the agreements while awaiting the court's opinion, after which it will be able to vote on granting consent for the deal.

EU Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said the commission "regrets" the parliament's decision, noting that the issues raised have already been addressed in past agreements.

He added that the commission remains committed to engaging with MEPs to explain why the agreement is important for the EU.

The EU-Mercosur deal, signed on Jan. 17 in Paraguay after more than 20 years of negotiations, aims to reduce tariffs on agricultural products such as beef, poultry, dairy, sugar and ethanol from Mercosur countries, while increasing European access to South American markets.

The agreement has faced opposition from farmers across Europe, who warn that it could threaten domestic markets, agricultural livelihoods, and food standards.

Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and the agreement requires European Parliament ratification before entering into force.