Feb. 27 (UPI) -- The European Commission said Friday it will provisionally apply its trade agreement with Mercosur after Argentina and Uruguay completed their national ratification processes, advancing a long-delayed pact between the European Union and the South American bloc.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the decision at a news conference, saying that after intense discussions with EU member states and lawmakers the institution will proceed with the immediate provisional application of the commercial portion of the agreement with the Southern Common Market, known by its Spanish acronym Mercosur.
The bloc includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
This legal step allows the commission to bypass blockage imposed in January by factions of the European far left and far right, which together with most French representatives, agreed to refer the pact to the European Court of Justice to determine whether it complies with EU treaties, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported.
Under EU law, the application remains provisional until the European Parliament grants final approval, which could take 18 to 24 months because of the pending judicial review.
