The decision has bypassed the judicial review by members of the European Parliament, which had effectively suspended the ratification process of the agreement. In a statement to reporters, Von der Leyen said the Commission would continue to work in close cooperation with all EU institutions, describing the deal as one of the most significant agreements of the first half of this century.
The Mercosur deal has been a subject of debate among EU member states for years. While Germany defends the agreement on the grounds that it strengthens access to global markets, France leads the opposition to protect EU farmers against what it calls unfair competition from Mercosur imports.
Following 25 years of negotiations, Mercosur will create a free trade area between the EU and Latin American countries—including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—covering more than 700 million people. Von der Leyen stated that the agreement will provide European companies with access to the Latin American market at a level they could previously only dream of, offering Europe a strategic first-mover advantage in a world of increasing geopolitical tensions.
The Parliament still needs to approve the agreement. However, opponents effectively halted the ratification process in January by referring the deal to the European Court of Justice. Since Mercosur members Argentina and Uruguay have completed their own ratification procedures, the Commission was able to exercise its right to provisionally apply the agreement.
Comments
No comment yet.