site.btaEuropean Commission Expects Broad Support in European Parliament for EU–MERCOSUR Agreement

On Monday, the European Commission said it expected broad support among Members of the European Parliament for the EU-MERCOSUR agreement. A Commission spokesperson told a news conference that the institution was expecting approval by unanimity.

The spokesperson confirmed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa would travel to Paraguay on January 17 to sign the agreement. He added that provisional application of the agreement was possible pending a vote in the European Parliament.

The European Parliament itself would decide when to schedule the vote, the spokesperson said, commenting on requests by some MEPs for a preliminary assessment by the European Court of Justice. He added that the Commission wanted the text to receive the broadest possible support in the European Parliament and that work with MEPs was continuing.

The spokesperson described the moment as historic, noting that the agreement had received backing in the EU Council on Friday after 25 years of negotiations. He added that the Council’s decision enabled the Commission to sign the document, which it considered essential from an economic, political and geostrategic perspective.