On 1 July 2026, The Left group in the European Parliament tabled seven amendments to the draft interim report on the EU-Mexico Strategic Partnership Agreement, fundamentally challenging its positive framing. The amendments shift the text from an opportunity-focused assessment to a critical, risk-averse stance, warning that the agreement prioritises corporate interests over public services, farmers' rights, and national sovereignty.
The amendments, proposed by MEPs including Manon Aubry, Pernando Barrena Arza, and Lynn Boylan, target several key areas. Amendment 26 removes language about Mexico offering opportunities for resilience and instead expresses concern that the agreement reflects an EU approach focused on securing resources, implying a neo-colonial dynamic. Amendment 27 downgrades the assessment of the missing energy chapter from a "regretted" source of legal uncertainty to a simple "noted" fact, removing emphasis on competitiveness. Amendment 28 strips praise for public procurement provisions, adding a caveat that procurement is a key tool for public-interest objectives. Amendment 29 warns that enhanced intellectual property protections go beyond WTO TRIPS and may negatively affect farmers' rights and seed sovereignty, particularly through alignment with the 1991 UPOV Convention.
The most heavily contested area is investment protection. Amendments 30 and 31 replace support for the Investment Court System (ICS) with regret, noting a lack of evidence that such provisions attract investment and expressing concern that the ICS grants foreign investors privileged access to challenge public-interest regulations. Amendment 31 denounces EU Member States, specifically Italy, that withdrew from the Energy Charter Treaty to escape ISDS, arguing the ICS replicates its core flaws. Amendment 32 adds a call for a legally binding mechanism to exclude companies guilty of corruption or human rights violations from public procurement contracts.
These amendments are proposed changes to the draft interim report by rapporteurs Javi López and Borja Giménez Larraz, and will be examined and voted on in committee before any plenary vote. The Left's proposals represent a clear departure from the draft's generally welcoming tone, replacing positive language with cautious or negative terms. The amendments aim to reframe the agreement as a threat to public policy space rather than a tool for economic resilience, impacting stakeholders such as EU and Mexican farmers, public service providers, and multinational corporations seeking investment protections. The next steps involve committee consideration, where the amendments may be adopted, rejected, or modified before the final report is put to a plenary vote.