MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur/EU agreement anticipated for next May at Madrid summit

Celso Amorim wants a really ambitious accord

Mercosur and the European Union could be signing a cooperation and free trade agreement, although not in its final version, next May during the two continents summit in Madrid, according to the Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim

“I think we could have an agreement that could be signed, and which is not only a political statement, when the summit in Madrid”, said Amorim following a meeting of the Brazil-EU ministerial round held this week in the Spanish capital.

“Yes, I think it’s possible; I can’t tell if it will be the final version”, added Amorim who underlined that “there’s a very real chance of advancing in the Mercosur/EU accord; the latest contacts have been most positive”.

Nevertheless he pointed out that the “great challenge” is to reach an agreement that “is really ambitious”.

Amorim’s statements were during a press conference together with Spain’s Foreign Affairs minister Miguel Angel Moratinos (Spain holds the EU rotating presidency) and UK’s Katherine Ashton EU First Vice-president and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security.

According to the high officials the re-launching of EU/Mercosur negotiations to reach a trade agreement was one of the main issues of the talks.

Discussions between the two blocks stalled in 2004 following serious discrepancies on farm issues although the Spanish government that holds the presidency during the first half of 2010 is fully committed to put the process back on track.

Amorim admitted it could be a “more complex” negotiation than with other Latinamerican countries because Mercosur members are also most insistent on agriculture affairs which are a most delicate issue for the European Union”.

But given recent advances “and the political will displayed by the Spanish presidency of the EU and the Mercosur presidency held by Argentina are anticipating that it is possible to reach the goal we are all seeking”, concluded Amorim.