MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
EU admits difficulties and requests Mercosur to delay the exchange of tariff proposals
The European Union has formally requested that the exchange of tariff proposals with Mercosur for the creation of a cooperation and free trade zone, originally scheduled for next week, be delayed until 2014. The message was received by the Brazilian delegation at the recent WTO Bali discussions. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesDifferent speed for different Mercosur members. Sounds like this deal is going ahead no matter what the laggards in Mercosur want.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 10:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0“while Argentina moves at its own pace”
Dec 12th, 2013 - 10:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0Backwards then.
At least they would not be able to screw things up for the other three: or would they?
80-87% NOT zero-tariff rated.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 12:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That would be 17-20% with the usual high tariffs, then ...
I guess that would be high tariff on
soy, sugar, fruit, beef, ores and petroleum OUT, and
electronics, electricals, pharmaceuticals, cars, drinks IN.
Oh, I'm such an old cynic!
...........
PS. Where's Venezuela in all this?
Suddenly it’s the EU that aren’t ready with the lists. At this point that’s surprising.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 02:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Before we even get to the inevitable (lively) negotiations once lists are exchanged, the biggest challenge in all of this process will be to get agreement there.
This process is not going anywhere very fast, and with time running out for Brazil and its preferential status exporting to the EU.
@3 GeoffWard2
As I understand Venezuela are not yet incorporated in Murcosur as is. They are to follow on later.
@3
Dec 12th, 2013 - 02:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So you agree with Argentina's position? That is what we have been saying all along, myself included!!
The rich countries want 0% tariffs on THEIR products and full tariffs on the products of the OTHER SIDE!! (plus they keep their subsidies going)
WHERE IS THE FREE TRADE IN THAT?
Anyone with the intellectually pure and Annunaki mind can explain where is the fairness there?
Argentina was right, again.
Not really Giorgio,
Dec 12th, 2013 - 03:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I prefer 0% tariffs on everything, on both sides.
Just where this settles out and who gets most benefit would be interesting, but I can't see it happening
... because that would mean that the S.A. countries would be, like, IN the EU, but without the hassle of the European Parliament and the mass of laws and legislation. Like those European countries in EFTA.
Mercosur is ready.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 03:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Ready to lower the tariffs on agricltural goods imposed by Europe.
And Europe, well, they need this trade deal to boost their faltering, and shrinking, economy way more than Mercosur needs EU technology.
All this time pointing fingers at Argentina and now se van al mazo...
Flor y truco a lo farruco!
@5 Giorgio B. Tsoukalos
Dec 12th, 2013 - 03:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That is why you have negotiations after you exchange lists. No doubt both sides will start with “optimistic” positions, of what they want.
The trick is can you agree a compromise that everyone can live with, and will benefit from. This is not a Zero sum Game.
So far, no one has even seen the EU proposals, or Murcosur’s for that matter, to say “it’s unfair” is somewhat premature, to say the least.
Don’t worry though, the chances of any eventual deal, or even any deal eventually, including Argentina, are very slim.
Although the chances of there being some or other deal, are quite high, I would say, probably sooner rather than later.
@5 Argieland doesn't have a “position”. Everything depends on CFK's mentally-deranged, bi-polar, wannabe, corrupt “disorder. Difficult to see a difference between the sow and Hitler. No, wait, he demonstrated that he was a corrupt, dominating, power-hungry, megalomaniac, murdering piece of shit. And the Bitch Witch is different, how?
Dec 12th, 2013 - 07:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7 Why do you adopt gibberish? Is a human language beyond you? Lizard tongue getting in the way? Egg stuck in your passage?
@8 Best to reckon on an EU-mercosur agreement being about 100 years away. Optimistically, argies ”might” have learned honesty.
Good! Europe for the europeans and north-americans. Mercosul for the world.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 09:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4A-2jR8Yp0
The EU is a steaming pile of dog shit. So is Mercusor.
Dec 12th, 2013 - 10:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No, the EU for all its faults has done some amazing things. To bring together 27 sovereign and different states to cooperate and integrate is a feat that is unequaled in human history.
Dec 13th, 2013 - 12:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0As for any construct that has 27 different points of view and hopes and aspirations it will not always suit everyone. Also it will make mistakes such as the Euro - probably an idea that came a little too early and was spread a little too widely. It is hard for many to either imagine or remember that once upon a time you needed several visas and currencies to travel more than a couple of hundred kilometres.
The EU probably aspired to a certain version of statehood too quickly instead of organically evolving over time. It should have remained a little more true to its foundation as a single economic space. The current recession is allowing some of its deficiencies to be uncovered and tackled.
But if you compare it to any other attempt, you can only say it has been successful. The Soviet Union attempted what the EU has attempted and look how well that worked out. NAFTA, ASEAN, the African Union - all a shadow of the the EU's success. And Mercosur isn't even on the same page.
Contrary to what Brasiliero hopes for, Mercosur is not for the world. It honestly has no presence outside its member states. The Pacific Alliance is signing associate members states left right and centre and Mercosur only now has finally legally admitted a 5th member. The EU has such a global presence it is a member of the G20 in its own right and is a non voting member of the UN.
Mercosur has hardly done anything in the past 20 years. It can't get past its two biggest members, Brazil and Argentina, who see it as a vehicle for regional domination and not as a vehicle for world presence.
Sorry Brasiliero, your country hitched itself to Argentina and is paying the price.
Cannot agree and cannot wait for promised referendum on UK membership. Even France one of the biggest beneficiaries is having doubts about this undemocratic, unaccountable and corrupt Organisation. Of course the political elite in Westminster could still frustrate the will of the British people but tensions are rising and Islamic terrorists roaming free and Romanians defecating in Hyde Park isn't helping.
Dec 13th, 2013 - 04:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0Mercosur has a global presence. Half of its members participate in the G-20. We trade with all countries of the world, from USA to Tonga. Over the past decade our trade with the world increased by 300%. Over the past 20 years our intra-regional trade has increased 1200%. We produce 35% of all food in the world. Half of our giant territory is unexplored. Mercosul, despite its errors, is a great success.
Dec 13th, 2013 - 10:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0Brasileiro
Dec 13th, 2013 - 12:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Mercosur has a global presence”
No it doesn't. As an entity, it does not partake in the UN or the G20 and no one is lining up to sign free trade deals with it. It's impact is totally regional.
“Half of its members participate in the G-20”
Two-fifths actually.
The EU is a member of the G20 on its OWN. It is not represented by its member states. It is a G20 member in ADDITION to its member states of Germany, UK, France and Italy. The EU and its members make up a QUARTER of the G20. They also make up half of the G8. Also two-fifths of the UN SC permanent members are also EU members.
“We trade with all countries of the world, from USA to Tonga”
So does the EU. And they also do MORE trade than Mercosur. Indeed they have trade agreements with about 50 countries. Mercosur has only signed agreements with 3 countries.
“Over the past decade our trade with the world increased by 300%”
And yet the EU is the world's largest economy and the world's largest exporter. 7 EU members export MORE than Brazil. And 13 of them export more than Argentina. No wonder you are growing them, you export so little.
“Over the past 20 years our intra-regional trade has increased 1200%”
Really? Over the past 20 years the EU has accepted 16 more members. Introduced a currency and created an actual single market. People can live and work everywhere and you trade more… what else have you been doing? Brazil's largest trading partner is the EU.
“We produce 35% of all food in the world”
No you don't. Try again. You are 4% of the world's population and you are NOT that efficient.
“Half of our giant territory is unexplored”
No it isn't. Try again.
“Mercosul, despite its errors, is a great success”
No it isn't.
No Bras.
Dec 13th, 2013 - 01:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mercosur is an unmitigated disaster-zone.
Brasil - and to some small extent, Argentina - have increased local trade; and food, wood and ore flow from the countries ... but these are not the features of *developed* economies, they are the features of exploitative 'economies' - mere extensions of colonial exploitations of earlier centuries.
Anglotino
Dec 13th, 2013 - 01:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You mean EU is a great success, I assume.
Especially the economic growth within the union, the excellent relations between member states and they joy of having eastern European labourers pressing the salaries that already are being dumped courtesy of Chinese copycats.
All is good, as Greece shows. Fraternity and integration are key words between the member states of Spain and Britain.
The expansion of this success history has been halted, call it a delay, by Russians with their hands on the gas valves. Minor issue, that one...
And by the way, I hope you don't live near Canberra. Major setback there, wouldn't you agree? I mean, human rights and so on...
@17 Stevie
Dec 13th, 2013 - 02:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The EU is far from perfect, however it does improve.
However slow and belatedly it does respond to new challenges, getting agreement between that many countries requires effort. However this is something that the EU has become adept at.
After all they are writing the script here as they go along, these levels of (voluntary) integration have been tried before, much less succeeded.
The greatest achievement of the EU is that Europe is no longer a place where war is regarded as an option for solving disputes. The Balkan states had to make peace, including handing over war criminals, to deal with Europe. Similarly Greece and Turkey over Cyprus.
What has Murcosur achieved?
And when Argentina’s economy crashes, which it is as we speak, will the rest of Murcosur “bail you out” as the EU did with Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus and Spain?
I think not.
You mean the challenges of bent cucumbers? That's a tricky one, I agree...
Dec 13th, 2013 - 02:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When was last time Mercosur, or any SA nations, solved any international dispute by warring, now that you compare? Resolving disputes without killing eachother isn't a sign of development, it's a sign of having left the caves.
And who is EU bailing out? They are condemning the (Greek, Cyprus, Irish) people to 2 generations of austerity while some key members get to act as rule makers.
A marvel of integration indeed...
@19 Stevie
Dec 13th, 2013 - 04:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Er, when Argentina invaded British territory, in the S. Atlantic, twice now.
In Europe we didn’t really start killing each other until after we left the caves.
Poor old S. American natives didn’t even get that far, killed off by invading Europeans who left their caves sometime before.
Ireland is now officially out of the bail out, so much for 2 generations.
No one has ever claimed “it’s a marvel”, just a first attempt.
Like I said, “what has Murcosur achieved?”
Didn't Mercosur achieve a law on the maximum allowed bending of a cucumber?
Dec 13th, 2013 - 04:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@21 Stevie
Dec 13th, 2013 - 04:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yes I see, these “other” issues, just go right over your head then.
Argentina 1982 was very much a national issue...
Dec 13th, 2013 - 05:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@23 Stevie
Dec 13th, 2013 - 05:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Became international when you crossed from Argentine territory in S. America, into British territory in the S. Atlantic.
Know your Geopolitical boundaries.
What have archive Mercosur? Lets see...
Dec 17th, 2013 - 08:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0Mercorsur has become the 4th larger economy en the world after US, China and Japan measured its combined nominal GDP in US dollars $3.641 Trillions (2012). And also the 4 largest commercial block in the world.
A total land mass of 12.794.689 km² 3 times the sizes of the EU holding the richest reserves of potable water, oil (15% world reserves) , forestry (51%), mineral and arable land in the world.
7 in 10 SA inhabitants reside in a Mercosur Member state with a total population of 276 millions.
Also a major food and derivatives products producer with global participation of 48% orange juice, 37% oranges, coffee 35%, soy 34%, carbon 32%, Sugar 28.5%, Soy oil 28%, soy flour 21%, red meat 20%, Mandioca 18%, sun flower 13%, Milk 12%, wheat 10%, etc.
And one of the largest commodities exporter in the world and one of the largest manufacture complex in the world.
While Mercosur only has 28 years the EU has 61 years.
Just an impressive achievement in a short period of time.
BTW no such British territory in SA that is another fairy tale from the Dark Kingdom...
My, Dany#25, your cup is certainly half full.
Dec 17th, 2013 - 09:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Whatever the realities - 'Faith in the Team'
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