MEPs write to parliament president urging Mercosur deal to be sent to EU court
A number of MEPs have written to the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, urging her to seek the opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in relation to the EU Mercosur Trade Agreement.
The signatories of the letter, which includes Midlands-North-West MEP, Ciaran Mullooly, said they have written the letter in light of the EU Council's January 9 decision to authorise the European Commission to sign the EU-Mercosur agreement.
The deal would eliminate tariffs on 91% of all products exported between the two regions, primarily machinery and automobiles going to Mercosur and a quota of beef coming from Brazil.
President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen is due to travel to Paraguay on Saturday to sign the deal, albeit it still needs to be voted on at European Parliament level in the coming weeks.
In the letter to the parliament president, the group of MEPs states: "We, on behalf of the 145 signatories of the motion for a resolution seeking an opinion from the CJEU on the agreement's compatibility with the Treaties, ask you to add the resolution to the agenda of the January plenary session.
"The text of the agreement is now definitive and will no longer be modified. According to Article 218(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Rule 117(5) of the EP Rules, there are no obstacles preventing a vote from taking place next week.
"We count on you to ensure compliance with the Treaties and the Rules of Procedure of our institution.
Should you have a different interpretation of the applicable and should you decide not to put the resolution on the agenda of next week’s session, we reiterate our request for a legal opinion from the EP Legal Service, for which we still to date have not received a formal reply."
The letter is signed by a number of cross-party MEPs including the following:
- Manon Aubry, Lynn Boylan (The Left);
- Krzysztof Hetman, Celine Imart (EPP);
- Chloe Ridel, Eric Sargiacomo (S&D);
- Pascal Canfin, Ciaran Mullooly (Renew);
- Saskia Bricmont, Madlouline Sbai (Greens).
President of the European Council, Antonio Costa will also join von der Leyen on the trip for the EU-Mercosur signature ceremony in Asuncion, Paraguay on Saturday, January 17.
Ahead of the ceremony, on Friday (January 16), President Costa and President von der Leyen will visit Rio de Janeiro to meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.
Costa said: "The approval of the EU Mercosur Agreement, creating the largest free trade zone in the world, is excellent news for both sides of the Atlantic.
"It will bring real benefits for European citizens and businesses, boost the EU’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and shape the global economy in line with our shared values.
"It will strengthen workers’ rights, environmental protection, and safeguards for European farmers, demonstrating that rules-based trade partnerships are win-win.
"More than 700 million people will benefit from the EU-Mercosur Agreement. Europe is open for business, and building bridges towards shared prosperity with our global partners.”
However, this is a view not shared by the majority of farmers in Ireland and some other member states.
A gathering of over 10,000 farmers and their supporters in Athlone, Co. Westmeath last Saturday (January 10) coupled with ongoing protests in France, Italy, Poland and other areas continues to show the considerable opposition to the deal.
