MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur/EU to resume trade negotiations in Brussels

Mercosur and European Union representatives will again sit at the negotiation table at the end of the month, this time in Belgium, to try and advance the stalled association and trade talks between the two blocks.

Argentina's Commerce and International Economic Relations secretary, Alfredo Chiaradía revealed Thursday the meeting is scheduled for March 21/22 in Brussels and was agreed by EU officials and Argentina which currently holds the Mercosur chair.

"It's very hard to make forecasts about the outcome of the Brussels negotiations", but Mercosur stance is strongly consolidated and members "hold shared positions", said Chiaradía.

"A well presented and executed negotiation with the EU is of great interest for Mercosur and specifically for Argentina, but some previous working conditions must be reached", cautioned the Argentine official.

"This means that trade concessions which we are prepared to exchange have the appropriate value for our interests, and they must not be damaging for our production sectors", he added.

Since the re-launching of negotiations last year, Mercosur insists in ample access for its farm produce, and EU demands improved investment conditions for its services sector companies, among other demands.

"We've never been in a situation in which we considered futile continuing. We trust that talks with Brussels will advance and contribute to some kind of understanding which we might reach with one or several of the EU member countries", explained Mr. Chiaradía.

Next Tuesday the coordinators of the different countries negotiating teams will be again meeting in Buenos Aires "to address other Mercosur pending issues". However the escalating pulp mills controversy between Uruguay and Argentina "does not figure in the a