Activists from Greenpeace Belgium scale the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, and spray the building with an agricultural pesticide pump, while EU trade ministers discuss the EU-Mercosur trade deal in May 2023. The climbers hung banners on the façade of the building reading “Stop EU-Mercosur”, and an agricultural truck sprayed clouds of water to simulate pesticides, protesting increases in exports of toxic chemicals expected if the deal is concluded.
© Eric De Mildt / Greenpeace

Brussels – The European Commission has announced that it will force through the provisional application of the EU-Mercosur trade deal, pre-empting a vote to ratify the agreement in the European Parliament and a pending opinion by the European Court of Justice on the legality of the text.

Reacting to the news, Greenpeace EU trade campaigner Lis Cunha said: “Von der Leyen’s move reeks of desperation. It exposes how she’s more interested in appeasing a handful of multinationals than in the rights and interests of people and the environment. But this attempt to escape democratic scrutiny will only bolster opposition to this disastrous deal. Trampling democracy and bypassing the courts will do nothing to make Europe more secure in a volatile world.”

*** Greenpeace EU law experts will hold an online background press briefing on the legality of the trade deal’s provisional application and possible legal challenges on Wednesday 4 March at 3pm CET. Please contact the press desk to receive the link.

Contacts:

Lis Cunha – Greenpeace EU trade campaigner: +32 471 013 708, [email protected] 

Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]

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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.

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