Following twenty-five years of negotiations, the controversial EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) was finally signed in Paraguay on January 17. As stated by President von der Leyen, the trade deal aims to establish one of the largest free trade areas in the world, as well as demonstrate and reinforce the union’s stance “for openness, for cooperation and for mutual gain” in today’s tense geopolitical environment. Thus, it is imperative that the power-shifting consequences of this deal both