News of fta

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

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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.