Organizations such as Unió de Pagesos (UP) and Asaja have expressed satisfaction with the halt to the EU-Mercosur agreement after the European Parliament voted to elevate the pact to the ECJ. This action obstructs the ratification process and the entry into force of the treaty. The request received 334 votes in favor, 324 against, and 11 abstentions, highlighting the deep political division.
“"When we go out with our tanks, our tractors, we can stop incomprehensible laws."
According to Raquel Serrat of UP, the referral to the Luxembourg court could delay the agreement by 18 to 24 months, as the Parliament cannot vote on final approval until the ECJ issues its opinion. However, Serrat warned that the European Commission could still propose the provisional application of the trade agreement to Member States, although this has not been debated or agreed upon yet.
The vote revealed internal divisions within the main political groups. While the European People's Party (EPP) and the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) mostly voted against taking the agreement to the court, several national delegations, including the Polish, French, Belgian, and Greek ones, broke ranks. The Left, the Greens, and the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE) groups voted in favor.
“"The ECJ could deem the agreement illegal. This is a real blow to this destructive pact for agriculture, climate, and health!"
