MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Merkel invites Latam to invest in EU: “we’re open” but pls dump protectionism
Leaders from the European Union and the Community of Latinamerican and Caribbean States concluded on Sunday a two-day summit with pledges of boosting bilateral trade and while few concrete details were released, the two economic blocs expressed a clear wish for stronger ties. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesI suspect there are plenty of people accross the EU that wouldn't be shedding a tear if the Farm Subsidies were reduced.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 08:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0You would be right.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 09:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0Um, the French would be apoplectic.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 09:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0germany, too!
Jan 28th, 2013 - 10:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0If you fly South of Nurnenberg you will be able to view the German strip farms, probably the most inefficient farms in Europe and a relic of medieval practices. It highlights what farm subsidies are about.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 11:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0How can anyone call an agricultural policy, that pays farmers money, not to grow crops, a success.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 11:43 am - Link - Report abuse 0CELAC is nothing but empty speeches, good intentions and stupid ideology. The organization was born dead and merely became a piece of paper from the moment it excluded Canada and the United States, advocating its regional spirit to please banana republic mojigat0s like the Castro Brothers, the Evos and the Chavez of the region.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 01:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The demise of the CAP has been British foreign policy since joining the common market. It would be rather remarkable if Argentina helped us secure that aim.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 01:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Re Elaine #3
Jan 28th, 2013 - 02:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Irish are already apoplectic about Polish horsemeat, the British are somewhat exercised about 20 odd EU nations keeping sows illegally in crates, and everybody's concerned about growth hormones in livestock flesh and offal.
If LatAm and EU could sign some common agreements on 'meat' mixtures, husbandry and contaminants this would be ideal.
'From small acorns ....”
@9 I really don't understand the uproar over horse meat. It isn't illegal to eat in the UK and I have eaten many unusual meats on my travels.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 02:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I agree about the husbandry and care of animals even if they are destined for slaughter. EU countries are supposed to be developed and should, therefore, be able to afford good practise. Whilst not desirable, it is somewhat more excusable in third world countries where food has to be produced as cheaply as possible or people starve.
My concerns are strongly with the use of chemicals, antibiotics and tampering that leaves our food far less nutritional - and in some cases more deadly - than decades ago. It that progress?
Have you seen the stories circulating about children being served up in North Korea? Unbelievable, I think.
@10elaineB
Jan 28th, 2013 - 04:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Have you seen the stories circulating about children being served up in North Korea? Unbelievable, I think.”
Shades of Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal ??
Hi Elaine
Jan 28th, 2013 - 06:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The horse/cowmeat issue is akin to Starbucks selling acorn-adulterated coffee as the real stuff.
Brand image is valued at $billions, and that's what's at steak.
“Smell the coffee!”
;-)
Yeah, I understand that. I don't understand the squeamishness.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 06:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Squeamish!
Jan 28th, 2013 - 07:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I've eaten horses for courses in Paris and, like you, all sorts of mammals and reptiles in various parts of the world .. but I REALLY don't like the holothurians of South East Asia. OK, so I'm a wuss.
I once ate a turtle egg in Penang but the guilt got to me. So much so that latterly I've supported the Tamar Project. Thousands of turtle eggs re-buried, hatched and helped along the way; that, and the research on Humpbacks, both based at Praia de Forte in Bahia, is the way we retired ecologists get our kicks.
she only wants you lot,
Jan 28th, 2013 - 07:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0because we are leaving the sinking ship,
you would be wise to leave as well .lol.
@14 LOL. Not you. In the British press the outrage seemed more about eating horse than the fact that their might be something worse going into their cut-price burgers. I suspect this has been going on for years.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 08:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I particularly love the range of meat on offer in South Africa. In some countries I have no idea what I have eaten and that is probably for the best. :)
UK has a bit over 40% of its international trade with the EU, but with a nett trade deficit. The UK does not dominate Germany's trade thinking - whether the UK leaves the EU or stays within is largely immaterial, Germany, the UK and the rest of the EU states want and need the Mercosur agreement. Mercosur, non-paradoxically, needs the EU agreement ... whether it wants it or not.
Jan 28th, 2013 - 08:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The fact is,
Jan 29th, 2013 - 01:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0it does not matter how much trade we have with Europe,
nothing will change, if we are in or out,
just european scare mongering to keep us locked in .
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