Mercosur

• Tuesday, December 9th 2014 - 23:03 UTC

  Mercosur lacks discipline and has become a 'straitjacket' for trade negotiations

  

  Mercosur must discipline and return to its origin as a customs union since it has become a 'straitjacket' for negotiations with other regional blocks, according to Lia Valls, foreign trade coordinator at the Brazilian Economics Institute belonging to the prestigious thinktank Getulio Vargas foundation.

• Friday, December 5th 2014 - 06:19 UTC

  Latin America 'unfortunately' has a very low participation in global trade

  

  Latin America 'unfortunately' has a very low participation in world trade which is a major challenge for the region, according to Gonzalo Rodriguez, member of Mercosur technical staff, who was one of several speakers at the preamble of Unasur summit.

• Wednesday, December 3rd 2014 - 08:15 UTC

  Falklands' patrol vessels support, allegedly from Brazil and Chile, trigger debate in Argentina

  

  Argentine opposition lawmakers expressed concern about alleged logistic support from Brazil and Chile to British warships and other auxiliary vessels in the South Atlantic and demanded the government of president Cristina Fernández report to Congress on the matter.

• Saturday, November 29th 2014 - 04:47 UTC

  Argentine swimmer crosses the Falklands' sound in 2 hours and 7 minutes

  

  Argentine amateur distance swimmer Agustin Barletti (53) swam across Falklands Sound on November 9 in 2 hours and 7 minutes. The Argentine, who has also swum the Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa hit it lucky with calm weather and the swell only increasing as he finished.

• Friday, November 28th 2014 - 06:38 UTC

  Mercosur and EU could not establish a date for the exchange of new proposals

  

  European Union and Mercosur representatives analyzed the current state of negotiations for an association and free trade agreement but could not establish a date for the exchange of new proposals because “the European Commission has yet not concluded the consultation process with member states to harmonize its proposal”.

• Friday, November 28th 2014 - 06:30 UTC

  Uruguay praises Mercosur as the “main buyer” of the country's exports

  

  Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Almagro highlighted that Mercosur is the “main buyer” of Uruguayan exports and strongly defended the country's presence in the regional group, a controversial issue since much of the country's political system and most of the business community want a more dynamic, open trade block.

• Thursday, November 27th 2014 - 06:19 UTC

  Mercosur/Pacific Alliance agree on flexible integration but no talk on tariffs

  

  Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance explored this week in Chile the possibilities of a gradual, and flexible, integration but left aside all possibility of a near future agreement on tariffs.

• Wednesday, November 26th 2014 - 09:41 UTC

  Pacific Alliance and Mercosur represent 90% of Latam and Caribbean GDP

  

  The Pacific Alliance (PA) and the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) combined represent more than 80% of regional foreign trade as well as population, and more than 90% of GDP and direct foreign investment flows, according to a new report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

• Saturday, November 22nd 2014 - 09:19 UTC

  Brazil committed to advance with EU/Mercosur trade negotiations

  

  Brazil must speed international trade agreement negotiations, said cabinet chief Aloizo Mercadante, in direct reference to Mercosur and demanding an end to internal disputes.

• Friday, November 21st 2014 - 06:05 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez rests in Patagonia and prepares for regional agenda

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez left Thursday evening for El Calafate, Santa Cruz province, to spend the long weekend with her family, presidential spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro reported.