January 22, 2026 12:17

Ratification of the EU–Mercosur agreement by the European Parliament could be delayed by several months. MEPs yesterday approved a motion asking the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to assess whether the agreement complies with the EU Treaties.

The legal basis of the EU–Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the interim Trade Agreement (iTA) must therefore be examined by the CJEU, with timelines expected to run to a few months or, as in the case of the free trade agreement with Singapore, even two years.

While the Court issues its opinion, the European Parliament may continue to examine the texts but must wait for the opinion’s publication before it can approve or reject the iTA, which is subject only to ratification at Union level.
The iTA will cease to apply once the EMPA enters into force.

© Polimerica -  Reproduction prohibited, all rights reserved