The European Union’s Trade Deal with Mercosur: (Geo)politics vs. the Rule of Law?

After 26 years of negotiations, the EU’s Partnership Agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) was expected to be a geopolitical win for the European Commission. Instead, it turned out to be a test to overcome the EU’s institutional complexity, while exposing deep political divisions and hindering the EU’s trade agenda.