The AUR MEPs have officially notified the European Commission and the European Council regarding the lack of the legal mandate required to sign the EU-MERCOSUR Agreement.
Ursula von der Leyen/PHOTO: EPA-EFE
According to News.ro, the signatories are Georgiana Teodorescu, Adrian Axinia and Gheorghe Piperea.
“According to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the signing of an international agreement of such magnitude cannot take place without a formal decision of the Council of the European Union, adopted in a legally convened meeting or through a completed written procedure, in which the ministers of the member states express their vote and political mandate.
A simple meeting of COREPER II cannot replace this mandatory stage, as COREPER has exclusively a technical and preparatory role, without decision-making competence”says AUR in an official statement.
According to the AUR MEPs, in the absence of a decision of the EU Council, Ursula von der Leyen does not have the legal right to sign the MERCOSUR Agreement, and such an action would represent a serious violation of European procedures and treaties in force.
AUR MEPs demand the urgent convening of the EU Council, before the trip to Paraguay, so that a competent Romanian minister can publicly assume the vote on an agreement that, according to the party, affects farmers and the economy.
AUR claims that this vote would represent a “moment of truth” in which the Romanians must find out in what interest and with what mandate the representatives of the Romanian Government act.
AUR MEPs warn that any circumvention of the EU Council and the ministers of the member states undermines democratic control, institutional legality and the decision-making sovereignty of the states, and the signing of the MERCOSUR Agreement under these conditions risks being challenged legally.
“The Alliance for the Union of Romanians will continue all political and institutional steps necessary to defend the interests of Romanian farmers, the national economy and the strict observance of European treaties“, the press release states.
The EU and Mercosur will sign the agreement at the end of the week
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will sign the free trade agreement with Mercosur on Saturday, January 17, in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, Brussels announced on Sunday.
The agreement, which represents the result of over 25 years of negotiations, is considered by its supporters to be essential for stimulating exports, supporting the continent's economy and strengthening diplomatic ties in a context of global uncertainty.
However, the deal has sparked protests from farmers who fear an influx of beef and other cheap products from South America.
