News of fta

Brazil ratifies EU-Mercosur trade deal

05-03-2026 08:46 Brazil's Senate ratifies deal between the Mercosur bloc and the European Union; European Commission announced last week that it would provisionally implement the mammoth deal.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU advances with Mercosur trade deal in ‘provisional’ step

27-02-2026 17:53 French President Emmanuel Macron, a critic of the EU-Mercosur deal, calls the decision a “bad surprise” at an event in Paris.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Senate approves EU-Mercosur trade deal by huge majority

26-02-2026 16:42 Lawmakers in Argentina ratify sweeping trade deal between Mercosur and European Union, hours after Uruguay did the same; Senate follows lower house approval with huge majority vote, 69 in favor, three against.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Merz says EU-Mercosur trade deal should take effect provisionally

24-01-2026 09:28 “Democratic legitimacy” of the EU’s Mercosur deal with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay is beyond doubt, German chancellor declares as he calls for its implementation.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Milei welcomes EU trade deal but puts Mercosur on notice

17-01-2026 16:44 President Javier Milei hails trade pact at ceremony in Asunción; Argentina’s leader welcomes EU agreement but warned he will continue seeking trade deals with other countries that “support freedom.”

GLOBAL TRADE

EU, Mercosur bloc ink major trade deal, reject 'tariffs' and 'isolation'

17-01-2026 15:06 South American bloc and European Union finally signs major trade deal are quarter-century of torturous negotiations.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU inks South America trade deal after 25 years of negotiations

17-01-2026 14:46 Two blocs sign one of the world’s largest free-trade agreements, clinching a deal that has been in the works for more than two decades.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Is Vaca Muerta now a dead cow – and EU-Mercosur deal a cherubic baby?

17-01-2026 00:12 Today will go down as a historic day with the world’s biggest free-trade area numbering over 700 million consumers signed into being in the Paraguayan capital of Asunción.

by Michael Soltys

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Lula, Von der Leyen hail EU-Mercosur deal as key for prosperity, multilateralism

16-01-2026 17:42 Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen hail EU-Mercosur trade deal as key for prosperity and multilateralism.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Historic EU-Mercosur deal signing fails to unite Lula, Milei

15-01-2026 21:19 Long-awaited EU-Mercosur trade pact set to be signed in Asunción Saturday; Milei, Peña and Orsi all expected to attend ceremony, though Lula won’t travel.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Long-awaited EU-Mercosur trade pact set for signing

15-01-2026 00:38 Mercosur and the European Union will on Saturday sign an agreement to create one of the world’s largest free‑trade zones, a deal that has sparked tensions with Europe’s agricultural sector and aims to offer a "third way" amid the rivalry between the United States and China.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Milei to travel to Paraguay for signing of EU-Mercosur trade deal

13-01-2026 22:08 Mercosur-European Union treaty to be signed in Asunción on Saturday; Argentina’s leader will travel, but Lula’s attendance in doubt.; Expectations in libertarian ranks.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU confirms Mercosur trade deal will be signed January 17 in Paraguay

12-01-2026 10:04 EU gave a long-delayed go-ahead last Friday to the huge trade pact with the South American Mercosur, overriding opposition led by key power France.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU trade deal with Mercosur defies Trump’s protectionism

12-01-2026 08:44 EU deal with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will create a massive free-trade area, showing that broad multilateral deals remain possible in a global order upended by Donald Trump.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

European Union approves free-trade agreement with Mercosur

09-01-2026 13:36 Greenlight clears the way for Ursula von der Leyen to travel to Asunción, Paraguay, to sign the sweeping trade pact.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Germany 'very confident Italy will now agree' to EU-Mercosur trade deal

07-01-2026 13:20 German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius tells reporters that EU is "very confident that Italy will now agree to Mercosur agreement."

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU offers farmers extra funds to quell anger at Mercosur deal

06-01-2026 14:00 European Union will adjust its budget proposal for 2028-2034 to allow farmers early access to around 45 billion euros (US$53 billion) in funding.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU hopes to sign Mercosur trade deal soon

05-01-2026 18:59 EU agriculture ministers will discuss the agreement on Wednesday during an extraordinary meeting in Brussels.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Italy plans to back Mercosur, paving way for EU trade deal

05-01-2026 18:25 Deal can pass without support from France and just needs a qualified majority of the EU’s 27 member states.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur wants on-the-fence EU to know it has other options

21-12-2025 08:48 As the European Union struggles to complete a trade deal with Mercosur, competitors eyeing South America’s consumer market and vast mineral resources are taking note.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Europe stumbles in its attempt to bypass Trump’s world order

20-12-2025 14:12 The ongoing failure to ratify the accord is a blow for the EU, which wants to use the transatlantic agreement as evidence that it could be a global power.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Lula paves way for postponement of EU-Mercosur trade deal signing

18-12-2025 16:51 After call with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Brazil president says will present proposed EU trade deal postponement to Mercosur at weekend summit.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur deal gets boost after lawmakers back farmer protections

16-12-2025 22:12 EU lawmakers and member states are rushing to finalise the deal with the Mercosur bloc – Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay – before a potential signing ceremony on Saturday.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

France seeks to delay EU-Mercosur accord, risking deal’s collapse

11-12-2025 14:53 France seeks to delay accord over agricultural concerns; Paris wants to postpone signing until at least early next year.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur leaders to meet December 20, ready to sign EU trade deal

11-12-2025 14:49 December 20 is the deadline set by the European Commission for a green light from European states on the agreement that has met with opposition from France.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU vows stricter controls for imports ahead of Mercosur deal vote

10-12-2025 14:38 To verify that products comply with EU standards, the European Commission promised to increase the number of controls abroad by 50 percent over the next two years.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU finalises farmer protections, advancing Mercosur trade deal

06-11-2025 19:00 European Union takes step toward approving its massive trade agreement with South American nations.

MILEI AT WHITE HOUSE

US President says he’ll discuss trade deal with Milei, defends lifeline

14-10-2025 16:04 US President Donald Trump says he will discuss a potential free-trade agreement with Argentina during White House talks with President Javier Milei.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Farmers call Paris protest against EU-Mercosur deal

23-09-2025 11:50 French farmers union to stage massive protest next month in rejection of the EU-Mercosur trade deal.

MERCOSUR-EFTA AGREEMENT

Mercosur and EFTA sign free-trade deal in Rio de Janeiro

16-09-2025 18:42 Deal creates a market of 300 million people and covers some US$4 trillion in GDP; Brazil brands it a “clear signal” against US protectionism led by Trump.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU pushes ahead with bid to ratify Mercosur free-trade deal

03-09-2025 14:50 Agreement needs approval of the European Parliament and a qualified majority of its 27 member states.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU presents Mercosur deal for member states' approval

03-09-2025 11:23 Agreement would form a 700-million-customer free-trade area – the world's biggest – but it still faces opposition in Europe over agricultural concerns.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU offers timeline for final Mercosur deal proposal

10-04-2025 14:28 Top EU spokesperson says he wants to present a proposal for sweeping free-trade agreement before “end of summer,” with legal review ongoing.

BILATERAL TRADE

Trump says he is open to a trade deal with Argentina

04-03-2025 15:39 US President Donald Trump responds positively to question speculating over likelihood of US-Argentina free-trade deal.

MERCOSUR TENSIONS

Milei: Mercosur bloc ‘has only enriched Brazilian industrialists’

02-03-2025 11:28 Argentina’s President Javier Milei declares in speech to Congress that Mercosur trade bloc has “only enriched Brazilian industrialists,” warning he will take his nation out of trade bloc if it prevents free-trade deal with United States.

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.

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.

EU-MERCOSUR DEAL

Mercosur deal is ‘absolute priority’ for the EU, says chief negotiator

24-04-2024 15:36 Rupert Schlegelmilch, the EU’s chief negotiator for a free-trade deal with Mercosur bloc, says he is hoping to close this deal “as soon as possible,” pinpointing “June or July” as a possible date.

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.

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