FOREIGN POLICY & ECONOMY Mondino: Mercosur must open up to ‘agreements with other countries’ 17-04-2024 17:16 Argentina's Foreign Minister Diana Mondino calls for modernisation of Mercosur rules and backs push for free-trade deal with China.
EU-MERCOSUR DEAL EU commission expresses 'frustration' over stalled EU-Mercosur trade deal 12-04-2024 09:41 European parliamentary delegation responsible for relations with Mercosur has failed to seal deal, much to the “frustration” of EU lawmakers.
EU-MERCOSUR DEAL EU-Mercosur trade deal: impossible to achieve? 31-03-2024 15:08 With France continuing to voice strong objections, stalled trade deal looks no closer to reaching fruition.
EU-MERCOSUR DEAL Macron slams 'very bad' EU-Mercosur deal, proposes negotiating new one 28-03-2024 14:48 French President Emmanuel Macron delivers withering remarks about deal that took 20 years to negotiate and suggests ripping it up and starting all over again.
MERCOSUR TRADE DEALS EFTA euro nations eye Mercosur deal before year-end 22-03-2024 15:00 Parliamentary representatives from European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) stop in Buenos Aires as part of regional tour focusing on efforts to secure free-trade deal with the Mercosur bloc. by James Grainger
MERCOSUR TENSIONS Mercosur tensions: Uruguay rage overshadows hope for EU deal 08-03-2024 11:43 Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou slams Argentina, Brazil governments for blocking his free-trade deal with China; Lula and Spanish PM Sánchez optimistic about long-trailed EU despite impasse.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Argentina criticises EU as Mercosur trade talks bog down again 20-02-2024 09:29 President Javier Milei’s top diplomat, Diana Mondino, offers grim assessment of Mercosur-European Union free-trade deal, revealing that treaty may be broken up into parts.
Agriculture Natural pesticides gain ground in 'agri-tox' capital Brazil 19-02-2024 14:14 Agricultural powerhouse Brazil may be the world leader in chemical pesticide use, but there is a growing trend of farmers turning to natural products known as "biopesticides."
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Germany's Scholz stresses importance of EU-Mercosur agreement 05-02-2024 20:16 Germany is one of the most fervent supporters of an agreement between the European Union and Mercosur nations. France, however, is starkly opposed.
EU-Mercosur Deal France: EU-Mercosur trade deal 'won't be signed as is' 31-01-2024 14:39 Protesting European farmers fear the deal would further depress produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.
EU-MERCOSUR DEAL EU-Mercosur trade deal totters as Europe's farmers revolt 30-01-2024 18:15 Growing farmer protests in Europe and strong opposition from France damages push for EU-Mercosur free-trade deal.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU says Mercosur deal 'not quite there' but talks continue 30-01-2024 09:43 EU-Mercosur trade deal is "not quite there yet" but talks continue, the European Commission said Tuesday against a backdrop of farmer protests in Europe.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Macron asks EU’s Von der Leyen to stop Mercosur trade deal 30-01-2024 07:27 French President Emmanuel Macron asks European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen to end the current round of negotiations over free-trade deal between EU and Mercosur trade bloc.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL France 'opposes signing' of EU-Mercosur trade deal, says prime minister 26-01-2024 14:59 French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal says President Emmanuel Macron "has always opposed" the free-trade deal negotiated between the European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc.
MERCOSUR Mercosur still hoping to finalise free-trade deal with EU 25-01-2024 14:54 Mercosur will try to finalise its long-delayed trade agreement with the European Union as soon as possible, the bloc’s foreign ministers said in a joint statement after meeting in Asunción on Wednesday.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Scholz, Milei in favour of swift conclusion to EU-Mercosur deal 09-01-2024 20:42 President Javier Milei spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, with the two calling for a swift conclusion to the European Union-Mercosur trade deal.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Crunch time for EU-Mercosur trade deal at Rio summit 05-12-2023 09:01 Fate of long-awaited trade deal hangs in the balance this week at key Mercosur summit in Brazil; Meeting was originally supposed to seal agreement, but last-minute bickering puts it in doubt.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Argentina: Conditions not in place to sign Mercosur-EU deal 04-12-2023 12:09 Argentina’s outgoing government says conditions are not in place to sign long-delayed free-trade agreement between Mercosur and European Union.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Macron concerns derail EU-Mercosur trade agreement yet again 03-12-2023 08:33 EU-Mercosur trade deal receives a serious setback after French President Emmanuel Macron declares environmental concessions obtained by the European bloc fall short of what’s needed.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU-Mercosur trade agreement postponed as Milei awaited 02-12-2023 15:03 Major trade deal between the European Union and Latin American economies now unlikely to be signed next week as hoped, as additional commitments will require Javier Milei's approval.
MERCOSUR BLOC EU, South America near deal on elusive Mercosur trade pact 30-11-2023 12:51 European Union and Mercosur are closer than ever to concluding a major free-trade agreement more than two decades in the making, with leaders optimistic they can strike a deal next week.
EU-Mercosur Milei’s election in Argentina casts shadow over EU-Mercosur deal 21-11-2023 18:33 President-elect Javier Milei is keen on opening up Argentina to commerce – how will his election affect the long-trailed free-trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc?
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Lula to give Milei the cold shoulder, betting he’ll need Brazil 20-11-2023 15:24 President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided to put relations between Brazil and Argentina on hold until he has clarity about Javier Milei's plans.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Milei confirms visits to US, Israel before December 10 inauguration 20-11-2023 13:23 Libertarian president-elect Javier Milei, who will be sworn-in as Argentina's head of state on December 10, confirms visits to New York, Miami and Israel before inauguration.
ELECTION 2023: REACTION EU, India congratulate Javier Milei on Argentina election win 20-11-2023 11:41 Top EU officials send congratulations to Javier Milei, with European Council president Charles Michel dubbing the country a "close partner."
MERCOSUR-EU AGREEMENT Lula and Sánchez plead for finalising Mercosur-EU agreement 03-11-2023 16:54 President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pled in a telephone conversation on Friday for finalising the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union as soon as possible.
MERCOSUR Paraguay's Peña: It ‘does not matter who is elected’ in Argentina 24-10-2023 16:57 Paraguay President Santiago Peña says "it does not matter who is elected” in Argentina's election in terms of regional “integration” and insisted on expanding horizons if Mercosur does not reach an agreement with the European Union this year.
MERCOSUR Mercosur responds to EU document of environmental demands 15-09-2023 16:27 Mercosur responds to EU document outlining environmental demands amid moves to close free-trade agreement between both blocs.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Lula urges meeting of EU-Mercosur leaders over trade deal fate 11-09-2023 11:34 EU and the Mercosur countries have been in talks to try to clinch a trade accord for more than 20 years – Lula says it's not time to decide, once and for all.
JAVIER MILEI INTERVIEW Milei says he’d reject ‘assassin’ China, take Argentina out of Mercosur 16-08-2023 22:04 Presidential frontrunner doesn’t want to engage with leftists; Diana Mondino to run foreign ministry if president, Milei says.
MERCOSUR TENSIONS Paraguay's next leader calls for 'more open' Mercosur 09-08-2023 14:55 Paraguayan president-elect Santiago Peña, supports a "more open" Mercosur and rejects the idea of a common currency for the South American bloc.
latin america Lula sees global fatigue over Ukraine as he pushes for peace 19-07-2023 13:44 Brazil's Lula calls for peace as world grows weary of Ukraine conflict.
SUMMIT IN PUERTO IGUAZÚ Mercosur meet ends with disputes over EU deal, trade, Venezuela 07-07-2023 12:49 Argentina, Brazil take aim at EU's environmental trade deal terms; Uruguay and Paraguay expose rift with Brasília and Buenos Aires over Maduro regime’s treatment of opposition politician in Venezuela.
MERCOSUR TENSIONS Lula vows to grow Mercosur amid Uruguay flak, Argentina crisis 05-07-2023 11:00 Plans to strengthen and expand the Mercosur trading bloc hit by disagreement among its members over several topics, including Venezuela and free-trade agreements with other markets.
Mercosur summit Argentina, Brazil take aim at EU's environmental trade deal terms 04-07-2023 14:49 Argentina and Brazil slam "unacceptable" EU stance in negotiations with the Mercosur bloc for long-delayed free-trade deal.
MERCOSUR SUMMIT Alberto Fernández shows off support for Sergio Massa at Mercosur summit 04-07-2023 14:34 At the Mercosur summit in Puerto Iguazú, President Alberto Fernández shows off support for Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who secures a host of invitations from foreign leaders. by Rosario Ayerdi
MERCOSUR TENSIONS Uruguay steps up criticism of Mercosur at Argentina summit 04-07-2023 13:56 Uruguay steps up criticism of Mercosur at key summit, saying internal trade barriers are hurting exports to Argentina while the bloc's regulations prevent it from signing an agreement with China.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Argentina calls for ‘updating’ of EU-Mercosur trade deal 03-07-2023 14:44 Argentina's Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero opens Mercosur summit with call for "updating" of bloc's free-trade agreement reached in 2019 with the European Union.
ANALYSIS Are we close to a EU-Mercosur trade agreement? 03-07-2023 10:34 The latest diplomatic signs suggest that the Southern Cone bloc is interested in reaching an understanding. Hopefully the European Union will listen to its own commission, which is also pushing for a deal.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Mercosur summit opens as EU trade deal hangs in the balance 03-07-2023 08:33 Four regional presidents set to meet at key Mercosur summit in Puerto Iguazú, with talks over free-trade deal with the European Union dominating the agenda.
LULA in EUROPE Brazil's Lula to talk trade with Macron on France, Italy trip 19-06-2023 14:53 Veteran leftist leader Lula says he will discuss the EU's proposed "hardening" of terms in Mercosur trade deal during trip to France, Italy and the Vatican.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Lula tells EU chief Brazil has 'concerns' over Mercosur trade deal 12-06-2023 19:06 Brazil President Lula says he has "concerns" over the European Union's efforts to add new environmental protections to a trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY EU seeks to boost 'neglected' ties with Latin America 07-06-2023 12:42 European Union launches new strategy to "recalibrate and renew" relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries, just over a month before first EU-CELAC summit for eight years.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL French official: EU, Mercosur will 'take time' to conclude deal 06-06-2023 11:12 French government official says European Union and Mercosur both want to "take their time" to finalise trade deal.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL France: EU-Mercosur trade deal still long way from being signed 02-06-2023 13:34 Free-trade agreement is not close to being signed, French diplomatic source says.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Lula: Brazil 'will not give in' on public procurement in EU-Mercosur deal 26-05-2023 11:25 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared Thursday that Brazil "will not give in" in talks over the free-trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL European lawmakers urge environmental protections from Brazil 18-05-2023 20:45 European Union lawmakers tell Brazil to show it is serious about protecting the environment and Amazon rainforest iflong-stalled EU trade deal with Mercosur is to be finalised.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Brazil, Spain want EU-Mercosur deal by end of the year 26-04-2023 14:04 Leaders of Brazil and Spain hope long-delayed trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur trade bloc can be finalised by the end of the year.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU explores options to tackle Latin America’s green deal worries 20-04-2023 17:34 Mercosur members Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay have expressed concerns about the impact of the European Green Deal.
TRADE & DIPLOMACY Spain: EU closer than ever to unlock Mercosur trade deal 10-03-2023 10:39 Spain is confident that the European Union can finally unlock a free-trade agreement with a group of South American countries, including Brazil and Argentina, and push forward a process that has dragged on for decades.