Brazilian President Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrate the expected signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur

Amidst ongoing political tensions between the EU and the United States, Cepi is encouraging the European Parliament to ratify a trade agreement set to eliminate tariffs from the Mercosur trade bloc and mandate deforestation efforts.

The European Union and Mercosur concluded a free trade agreement on January 17 in Asunción, bringing to an end 25 years of on-and-off negotiations between the two blocs. Senior officials from both sides gathered in the Paraguayan capital for the signing ceremony,

The EU on Saturday formally signed a free trade agreement with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), despite facing fierce opposition from EU farmers. Amid some changes in the international market, the deal,

Under the EU-Mercosur trade pact - which was approved by Greece and other EU states last week and is due to be signed on Saturday - Europe will import 60,000 ​tons of duty-free rice from South America's Mercosur, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, over five years.

The Parliament will vote next Wednesday in Strasbourg on whether to ask the European Court of Justice for an opinion on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. If the vote passes, the request could halt ratification until a decision is made by the court, and could even force changes to the deal if it is found to be non-compliant with EU treaties.