The Left in the European Parliament is calling for a motion of no confidence in the European Commission and the Commission President following the approval of a EU-Mercosur free trade agreement in Montevideo last week that has attracted the ire of farmers’ groups, climate activists and national parliaments. 

The approval of the EU-Mercosur agreement without consultation of the European Parliament or Member States constitutes an unprecedented power grab by the Commission, to the detriment of the European democratic process. 

Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left group in the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Committee on International Trade said “President von der Leyen has decided to impose this socially unjust and environmentally criminal agreement on the people of Europe against their will and with little consideration for the European Parliament. We will not stand by while this Commission undermines our democracies, undercuts our farmers and food sovereignty, trades the future of our planet for profit and jeopardises our health. We call on our fellow MEPs to join our motion of no-confidence and put an end to this charade.”

Fellow co-chair of the Left Group, Martin Schirdewan said “President von der Leyen of the European Commission is leading the Parliament by the nose through the institutions. She disregards national parliamentary votes, dismisses concerns raised in the European Parliament, and ignores criticism from trade unions, environmental groups, and farmers alike. If the Parliament wants to be more than just a rubber stamp for Ursula von der Leyen, it must take its oversight role seriously. Our motion of censure is a vital first step in holding the Commission accountable.”

The Left co-ordinator for the INTA Committee, Lynn Boylan said “This deal is brutal, on one hand for the indigenous communities of Mercosur countries, and on the other hand for communities in Europe who will be subject to food that has been produced using pesticides banned in EU. We will apply all pressure possible to get the EU to withdraw from this agreement, including a motion of no confidence in the President and her Commission.”

A motion of no confidence, also known as a ‘motion of censure’, can be tabled by 72 MEPs (10% of the European Parliament) and requires a two-thirds majority to pass. A successful vote on a motion of censure leads to the resignation of the Commission as a body, including the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.