EU Lawmakers Vote to Delay Mercosur Trade Deal

The European Parliament had voted refer the EU-Mercosur trade deal to the EU Court of Justice, which is likely to significantly delay the agreement. The trade deal was signed between the EU and the Mercosur bloc, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, on 17 January and was pending approval from the European Parliament. The EU’s Court of Justice (CJEU) is now tasked with determining whether the agreement can be legally applicable before it is ratified by all member states. Farmers across Europe have widely opposed the agreement over concerns of increased competition by cheap imports from South America.