The ratification procedure for the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Mercosur has been temporarily suspended after the European Parliament decided to refer the document to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for an opinion on its compatibility with EU treaties. The vote in the Strasbourg plenary was close: 334 Members of the European Parliament supported referring the matter to the Court, 324 voted against, and 11 abstained.

The decision freezes the institutional timetable: the European Parliament cannot advance the approval procedure until the CJEU issues its opinion, a stage that may take several months and, in extended scenarios, up to approximately two years. In the event of a negative opinion, the agreement cannot enter into force unless it is amended.

The EU–Mercosur agreement, negotiated over approximately 25 years, aims to eliminate most customs duties and strengthen trade flows between the two economic blocs. From the EU’s perspective, the pact is supported mainly by Member States interested in expanding industrial exports and reducing trade dependencies, but it remains contested amid concerns over competitive pressure on European agriculture, including for sensitive products such as beef and sugar.

On the political front, opposition has also been fuelled by arguments related to environmental standards, consumer protection, and the mechanisms of “provisional application,” an option that the European Commission could explore for the trade component prior to full ratification. This very area of institutional competences constitutes one of the legal issues currently under dispute.

For Romania, the delay maintains uncertainty regarding the economic impact on agri-food sectors vulnerable to imports, but it provides additional time for technical analysis, positioning, and potential protective measures at EU level.

(Photo: Freepik)