STRASBOURG ― European trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič faced an almost empty European Parliament on Monday evening to defend the European Commission’s signing of the Mercosur trade deal. Many backers of the motion of no-confidence in the Commission over the issue failed to turn up, suggesting that the trend of calling them ― this was an unprecedented fourth in seven months ― has run out of steam. Supporters of the motion argued that the Mercosur trade deal will open the door to unfair