EU Lawmakers Stall Mercosur Trade Deal, Exposing Weakness in Global Trade Leadership

In a closely contested move that signals deep fractures within the European Union, EU lawmakers voted 334 to 324 on Wednesday to delay ratifying the long-awaited free trade agreement with South America's Mercosur bloc. By insisting the European Court of Justice first determine the deal’s legality, they effectively put a hold on what was meant to be a landmark commitment to open commerce between two major economic regions. This development is more than just a bureaucratic hurdle; it exposes a broader failure among Western allies to present a united front against rising protectionism worldwide. While the EU hesitates and second-guesses...