The European Parliament voted to refer the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a legal opinion, which could delay the ratification of the agreement by up to two years.
“The EP's decision gives a breath of fresh air for European agriculture. This is not a final victory, but it is a step in the right direction. The opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union will provide clarity on the legality of the agreement”. This was stated by the MEP elected by “Vazrazhdane”, chairman of “Europe of Sovereign Nations” (ESN) and vice-chairman of the parliamentary group of the same name - Stanislav Stoyanov.
Yesterday, from the podium in front of the protesting farmers in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Stoyanov announced that the proposal to send the agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union will be supported by the EH parliamentary group.
With a narrow margin of only ten votes, the members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution asking the Court to assess whether the texts of the agreement between the EU and Mercosur are fully compatible with the EU Treaties. The proposal was approved with 334 votes “in favor“, 324 “against“ and 11 “abstentions“.
As a result of this decision, the Parliament will not be able to proceed to a final vote on the trade agreement until the Court of Justice has issued an opinion. Opinions of this kind usually take the Court of Justice of the European Union between 18 and 24 months, which effectively stops the process of ratification.
The upcoming opinion of the Court will be decisive in determining whether and under what conditions the agreement between the EU and Mercosur can enter into force.
Mercosur is a South American trading bloc created in 1991 with the aim of economic integration and free trade. Full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia. According to critics of the EU-Mercosur agreement, opening the European market to large quotas for meat, sugar, soy and other agricultural products could lead to the closure of farms in the EU.