On 21 January, after 25 years of tense negotiations, the European Parliament voted to refer the Mercosur trade agreement to the European Court of Justice to determine if the deal aligns with the bloc's rules.
It's a move which could delay the ratification of the Mercosur agreement for a further two years and is a blow to supporters of the trade deal that would establish a free trade zone between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).
