
The free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) could help turn South America into a major player in the global market for critical minerals and rare earths, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said in an interview with EFE from Asunción.

The European Union and South America’s Mercosur bloc signed their long-negotiated association and free trade agreement on Saturday in Paraguay, with Argentina’s President Javier Milei attending the ceremony and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva absent, represented instead by his foreign minister.

On January 17, 2026, the Mercosur bloc and the European Union (EU) will formalize a comprehensive association and free trade agreement in Asunción, Paraguay, marking the culmination of nearly 26 years of negotiations, according to international and regional news outlets.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on Friday that the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU), due to be signed Saturday in Asunción, will benefit global trade, democracy and multilateralism, EFE reported.

Brazil has enacted two laws formalizing the transfer of military aircraft and equipment to Uruguay and Paraguay, as part of an initiative to upgrade operational capabilities of neighboring countries and enhance regional security, Agência Brasil reported.

The Paraguayan Medical Circle (CPM) has issued a formal demand for strict linguistic competency requirements for all foreign medical students. The guild insists that non-native speakers must obtain official certifications in Spanish and Guaraní as a prerequisite for enrollment and clinical practice.

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) will be signed in Paraguay on Saturday, Jan. 17, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno confirmed on Friday, following the decisive round of voting in Brussels, where France and its allies failed to reach the minimum number to topple the initiative.

A qualified majority of European Union (EU) member states voted Friday to approve the landmark Free Trade Agreement with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). The decision marks a historic geopolitical shift, positioning the EU to counter rising US tariffs and Chinese competition, even as it ignites a firestorm of domestic unrest in France.

The feasibility of the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern Common (Market) and the European Union (EU) seems to be just hours away from its all-or-nothing hour, as France, Poland, Hungary, and Ireland have confirmed they would vote against it.

The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) announced on Tuesday that the country has concluded 2025 with an annual inflation rate of 3.1%, successfully meeting its target range and demonstrating a trend of continued macroeconomic stability.