The delay now raises the question of whether the EU executive will provisionally apply the agreement while waiting for the court to rule. Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images

EU-Mercosur trade deal stalled as MEPs send it for judicial review – POLITICO

· POLITICO

STRASBOURG — In a vote that could delay the European Union’s trade deal with Mercosur by up to two years, the European Parliament on Wednesday sent the Latin American accord for a judicial review.

By a majority of just 10 votes, MEPs backed a resolution to seek an opinion from the Court of Justice of the EU on whether the texts of the EU-Mercosur agreement comply with the EU treaties. The motion was carried — to applause and cheers from its backers — with 334 votes in favor, 324 against, and 11 abstentions.

The Parliament won’t be able to vote on the deal itself until the court has issued its opinion — a process that typically takes between 18 to 24 months.