Euractiv | 19 November 2025
MEPs reject push to fast-track vote on EU–Mercosur safeguards
by Alice Bergoënd
A bid by the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) to fast-track additional safeguards linked to the EU-Mercosur trade deal collapsed on Wednesday during a meeting of political group chairs, according to multiple parliamentary officials.
The safeguards, unveiled by the Commission in October, are designed to reinforce protections for EU farmers as part of the trade agreement and to persuade skeptical member countries to back the long-delayed deal’s ratification. EU ambassadors adopted the proposed safeguard measures without any changes on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, the measure still requires Parliament’s approval. Seeking to speed things up, the EPP had pushed for an emergency procedure that would bypass a request from the Parliament’s trade committee (INTA) to hold the vote in December and send the safeguards straight to a plenary vote next week. However, the majority of parliamentary groups preferred to wait until next month’s vote.
“The EPP found itself isolated,” one parliamentary staffer said, noting the request was rejected.
Even the EPP’s usual allies, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE), preferred to stick to INTA’s existing timetable, another parliamentary source added.
Renew Belgian MEP Benoît Cassart said he was “delighted” the Conference of Presidents, which represents the leadership of the groups, did not opt for the emergency route.
“It is up to the relevant committees to work calmly. After 25 years of negotiations, talking about urgency is laughable,” he said.
During the same meeting of parliamentary chiefs, the leaders of The Left, Renew, S&D, and the Greens took the floor to criticise the Parliament’s decision to halt a vote on a resolution that would challenge the legality of the EU-Mercosur agreement before the EU’s top court.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola had earlier clarified that the Parliament cannot seek a legal opinion until the Council finalises the text and formally launches the ratification process. Once that happens, she added, the vote can proceed.
