MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian Foreign Minister met with his Uruguayan counterpart to discuss the “flexibilization” of Mercosur

França pointed out that the issue of the common external tariff “will be under consensus under the four countries of the bloc”

Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo received on Tuesday his Brazilian counterpart Carlos França at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Montevideo to discuss, among other issues, Mercosur's flexibilization and the reduction of the common external tariff.

Among the topics reviewed by the two foreign ministers was also the modernization of Mercosur.

The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that França also spoke with Bustillo on “other regional and multilateral issues”, while highlighting the growing trade relations between the two countries.

Among the issues involved in this process, one of the most relevant is the reduction of Mercosur's Common External Tariff, which did not materialize due to Uruguay's opposition.

In a press conference after the meeting, the Brazilian diplomat said that the meeting was “excellent” and “there is a lot of agreement on political issues”. “On trade issues we continue working, there are issues of modernizing and promoting Mercosur”, he added.

França pointed out that the issue of the common external tariff “will be under consensus under the four countries of the bloc”. Regarding bilateral infrastructure works, the Brazilian Foreign Minister said that it is expected ”for next year to have the waterway of the (Merin) lagoon”.

The Merín lagoon is located along part of the border between Uruguay and Brazil. With a total length of approximately 200 km and an average width of 35 km, the Merín Lagoon is one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in the world.