Argentina's Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero Monday stressed that the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU) is hindered by what he called the “asymmetries” between the two blocs.
Presidents of all four Mercosur members (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay) will convene Monday in Puerto Iguazu in the Argentine northeastern province of Misiones for the 62nd bloc summit, also attended by dignitaries of the bloc's associate members.
Uruguay's Mario Colman Monday became the new Speaker of Mercosur's Parliament (Parlasur), it was reported in Montevideo.
Brazilian president Lula da Silva reiterated his support for the signing of the agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur but expressed his dissatisfaction with the additional terms proposed by the European bloc, calling them “unacceptable.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Friday insisted in Paris on the advantages of using a common currency for foreign trade operations and underlined once again that the European Union's demands for the Mercosur agreement were a “threat.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is to embark on a European tour this week to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope Francis, and other EU leaders, it was reported.
Ahead of July's EU summit with Latin American and Caribbean leaders in July, the first since 2015, the European Commission has unveiled a trade-oriented strategy to renew ties with a region that has been somewhat sidelined by the bloc in a chaotic few years in global politics. Approving the trade agreement with Mercosur is one of EU's priorities but there is French conditioning.
Spain is set to hold an early general election on July 23, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Monday. The announcement comes after Sanchez Socialist Party suffered serious setbacks to the conservative opposition in regional elections held on Sunday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the agreement with Mercosur was a priority, but Argentina's government has second thoughts about the advantages it would actually entail, it was reported Thursday.
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin met Friday with the European Commission's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager to discuss the South American country's relations beyond the Mercosur deal, Agencia Brasil reported.