EU says conditions needed to conclude Mercosur trade deal not met

The conditions that would allow the European Union to conclude a trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries have not been met, European Commission Executive Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Wednesday.

"The Commission assessment is that the conditions for the conclusion of the Mercosur agreement are not met," Sefcovic told the European Parliament on Wednesday.

The planned free trade agreement has come under political scrutiny in recent weeks, amid protests by farmers who say they are being undercut by cheap imports from countries that do not uphold Europe's high environmental standards.