Legal Review of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreements

by name voted on 21.01.2026

Summary

The European Parliament is asking the Court of Justice to rule on whether the proposed EU-Mercosur agreements are legal. It specifically questions if splitting the deal into two parts unfairly bypasses national parliaments and threatens EU environmental standards.

10 21.01.2026

Resolution

trade

health

environment

legislative procedure

international relations

Key points

The European Parliament is seeking a legal opinion from the Court of Justice on the legality of the new EU-Mercosur agreements.
There is significant doubt regarding whether the Commission's decision to split the agreement into two parts complies with EU treaty rules on competence and institutional balance.
The division of the agreement may bypass the rights of national parliaments to ratify matters involving shared responsibilities like health and the environment.
A new compensation mechanism could allow foreign partners to pressure the EU to weaken its climate and food safety laws.

Vote

PPE

S&D

PfE

ECR

Renew

Verts/ALE

The Left

NI

ESN

Total

Documents (PDFs)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Common Market of the South, the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of the other part, and the proposed Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union, of the one part, and the Common Market of the South, the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of the other part MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Common Market of the South, the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of the other part, and the proposed Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union, of the one part, and the Common Market of the South, the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of the other part Request for opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and Interim Trade Agreement (ITA)

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