The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to ask the EU’s Court of Justice (CJEU) to carry out a legal review of the trade agreement the EU signed last Saturday with four Mercosur countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The request could significantly delay or block the pact from taking effect.
Lawmakers in Strasbourg approved the referral by a narrow margin: 334 in favor, 324 against and 11 abstentions. The referral asks the CJEU to rule on whether the deal can be applied provisionally before every EU member state has ratified it, and whether any of its provisions would restrict the EU’s ability to adopt environmental or consumer health protections. Such CJEU reviews typically take around two years.
The agreement, concluded after roughly 25 years of talks, still requires formal approval from the European Parliament and ratification by individual EU countries to enter into force. Supporters say it would open markets and strengthen strategic ties; opponents, led by farmers and agricultural groups, warn of a flood of cheaper beef, sugar and poultry that could harm domestic producers.
Farmers across Europe — particularly in France and Belgium — staged large, disruptive protests in recent months and again around the Strasbourg vote. Demonstrations included tractor blockades and clashes with police; authorities used tear gas to disperse protesters outside the parliament earlier in the week.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the parliamentary decision “regrettable,” urging provisional implementation and arguing the agreement is legal and should not be postponed. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot welcomed the outcome, saying France must sometimes say no to protect its agriculture and food sovereignty.
The European Commission, whose president Ursula von der Leyen made the deal a priority, said it “strongly regrets” the vote. Von der Leyen has framed broader trade partnerships as a way to increase EU strategic autonomy. The pact has backing from South American cattle producers and some European industry sectors but has faced intense opposition from Europe’s farming community, which has targeted von der Leyen in protests.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, condemned the move as “absolutely irresponsible” and called it an “own goal,” arguing opponents should have rejected the deal outright rather than seeking delay through a legal review.
With the CJEU referral now requested, the schedule for final approval is uncertain and any ratification or provisional application could be postponed for a substantial period.
Edited by: Alex Berry