News of european union

EU races to expand two-trillion-euro trade network as US links sour

11-04-2025 13:49 The European Union is racing to clinch trade deals with countries around the world in an effort to diversify away from an increasingly protectionist United States.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Trump’s tariffs may speed EU–Mercosur deal, says Orsi

11-04-2025 10:09 Uruguay’s president sees US protectionism pushing Europe to compromise on stalled trade pact

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

As Trump woos Russia, Kremlin shifts blame to Europe

06-03-2025 06:00 Record number of Russian population supports the United States as opposed to the European Union, due to new pro-Kremlin media and the government's claim that Europe is in the way of peace in Ukraine.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Milei would leave Mercosur if needed for US-Argentina deal

22-01-2025 15:09 President Javier Milei says he would leave Mercosur if necessary to cement a free-trade agreement with the United States.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU to set up one-billion-euro 'reserve' for farmers hit by Mercosur deal

21-01-2025 15:08 European Union vows to create one-billion-euro "reserve" for farmers negatively impacted by Mercosur trade deal.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU-Mercosur free-trade deal 'not concluded,' says Macron

06-01-2025 16:38 French President Emmanuel Macron declares that the controversial free-trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc is "not concluded."

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur and EU announce agreement on free-trade deal

06-12-2024 13:02 Almost 25 years on from the first opening of negotiations, the the EU and Mercosur reach agreement for free-trade deal that will create a market exceeding 700 million people.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU reaches long-sought Mercosur deal despite French objections

06-12-2024 12:47 European Union and Mercosur bloc clinch trade deal despite objections of France, which will try to block process; Signing and ratification process could take as long as 18 months.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU nears deal with Mercosur as Von Der Leyen heads to summit

05-12-2024 09:02 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen due in Uruguay to attend Mercosur summit.

MERCOSUR SUMMIT IN MONTEVIDEO

Mercosur members eye sealing of 'historic' free-trade deal with EU

04-12-2024 15:09 Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are hoping to announce a blockbuster trade deal with the European Union at a regional summit Friday.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

German FM says 'essential' to seal EU-Mercosur deal at Friday summit

03-12-2024 14:44 German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says it is "essential" that the European Union to finalise a free-trade deal with Latin America's Mercosur this week.

'Pepe' Mujica interview

Mujica: Left’s return to power in Uruguay is ‘a farewell prize’

29-11-2024 11:40 José ‘Pepe’ Mujica is perhaps the most famous Uruguayan in the world, but that doesn't faze him. “I'm not a phenomenon; I'm an ordinary guy with some eccentricities,” says the 89-year-old former president.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Lula: Brussels, not Paris, will decide EU-Mercosur trade deal

27-11-2024 23:29 Blockbuster deal between the 27-country European Union and Mercosur countries – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – will not be decided only by France, declares Lula.

FRENCH LEADER IN LATIN AMERICA

Macron praises EU-Chile trade agreement on Latin America tour

20-11-2024 20:53 French President Emmanuel Macron visits Chilean counterpart Gabriel Boric in Santiago on the last leg of a Latin America tour.

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

Italy recognises Venezuelan opposition candidate as 'president-elect'

20-11-2024 20:42 From Buenos Aires, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni formally recognises Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the president-elect of troubled nation, following in footsteps of the United States.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Blocking and Bargaining: France and farmers fight EU-Mercosur trade deal

13-11-2024 15:35 The EU-Mercosur trade deal, which would create the world’s largest free trade zone, is nearing potential ratification after 25 years of negotiation, despite fierce opposition from France and European farmers.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

France seeks to rope in Poland to block EU-Mercosur free-trade deal

08-11-2024 19:40 France is hoping to persuade Poland into joining forces to block a sweeping trade deal between the European Union and Latin America’s Mercosur bloc.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Delayed, stalled... but is EU-Mercosur free-trade deal imminent?

30-10-2024 19:58 Rumours are growing that the long-stalled, much-awaited free-trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur could be announced before the end of the year, perhaps even at next month's G20 summit in Brazil.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

French minister talks down rumours of imminent EU-Mercosur trade agreement

25-10-2024 21:03 French Minister for Foreign Trade Sophie Primas has revealed to AFP the possibility of an agreement in the coming weeks

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU ‘very close to closing’ agreement with Mercosur, says Spain PM

23-10-2024 16:20 The European Union is "very close to closing" the long-delayed free-trade agreement with Mercosur trade bloc, said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Macron says free-trade deal with Mercosur is unfair for local farmers

02-10-2024 16:48 French President Emmanuel Macron again criticises Mercosur-European Union free-trade deal with, saying accord would put European companies and agricultural workers at a disadvantage.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Germany's Scholz urges swift conclusion to EU-Mercosur trade deal

02-10-2024 12:11 "The Mercosur agreement is groundbreaking for diversifying and strengthening the resilience of our economy," states German chancellor as he appeals for a swift conclusion to long-stalled trade deal.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Scholz makes fresh plea for speedy conclusion to Mercosur talks

02-10-2024 11:55 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz makes a fresh appeal for a swift conclusion to talks over "groundbreaking" EU-Merocosur trade deal.

INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO

Martin Schulz: ‘The result of the war in Ukraine is decisive for the future of the EU’

02-08-2024 07:05 Former President of the European Parliament, German ex-lawmaker and MEP Martin Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament, on politics in the Old Continent, the EU’s ties with Latin America and the global rise of the far right.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

MERCOSUR SUMMIT

Mercosur leaders slam Milei's absence from summit

09-07-2024 09:44 Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Luis Lacalle Pou and Santiago Peña criticise Argentine leaders decision not to attend a Mercosur presidential summit.

FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY

Argentina reinforces desire to deepen ties with 'natural partner' EU

07-05-2024 15:33 Foreign Minister Diana Mondino has told the European Union's top diplomat that she wants to deepen Argentina's "strategic relationship" with its "natural partner."

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

EU-Mercosur deal is ‘win-win,’ says Poland’s ambassador to Argentina

03-05-2024 08:17 Aleksandra Piątkowska, Warsaw’s envoy in Buenos Aires, discusses the stalled free-trade deal between the Mercosur and European Union, bilateral relations with Argentina and the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

by Julia Oleszynska

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 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.

GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY

G20 finance ministers meet on world economy hit by crises, conflicts

28-02-2024 12:55 G20 finance ministers will meet Wednesday in Brazil, seeking ways to shore up a global economy whose nascent recovery is threatened by a raft of conflicts and crises, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Environmental Policy

Trump's green-bashing and Europe's right put climate goals at risk

27-02-2024 11:58 Politicians are vowing to roll back green policies and downplaying climate change ahead of key elections on both sides of the Atlantic, casting doubt on whether countries can maintain momentum in the transition away from fossil fuels.

Russian opposition leader

Navalny's widow vows to take up the fight for Russia's 'freedom'

20-02-2024 13:24 Yulia Navalnaya on Monday vowed to continue her husband Alexei Navalny's fight after his death in a Russian prison last week, for which she blamed the Kremlin.

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.

EUROPEAN POLITICS

Far right could exploit EU's economic slump to win big in June vote

13-02-2024 11:46 Soaring food costs, economic stagnation and deteriorating living standards risk pushing voters into the far right's arms in European elections later this year.

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.

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.

2024: YEAR IN PREVIEW

Five elections in 2024 that will shape the global order

30-12-2023 10:19 With half the world heading to the polls in 2024, and some 30 countries electing a president, here are five key elections to watch in the coming year.

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.

OP-ED

Ireland deepens relations with Latin America and the Caribbean

25-11-2023 10:26 The Irish commitment to step up our engagement with the Latin America and the Caribbean region has been backed by the EU’s commitment to do the same.

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."