Mercosur

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2014 - 09:05 UTC

  Mercosur was not created to become a fortress of 'hyper-protectionism'

  

  Former Uruguayan president Julio Maria Sanguinetti and founder of the Montevideo Circle Foundation said Mercosur was not created to become a fortress of hyper protectionism but rather to promote competition and integration with flexibility. Sanguinetti participated in a round of conferences of the Montevideo Circle Foundation in Paraguay.

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2014 - 09:00 UTC

  Mercosur has 'yet to crystallize' but 'I remain positive' says Cardoso

  

  Former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso said that Mercosur has 'yet to crystallize as a customs union' and pointed to the common external tariff which is the founding stone but is “full of objections” as the main hurdle. Nevertheless “I remain positive about the strength of Mercosur”.

• Saturday, July 19th 2014 - 07:26 UTC

  Barroso calls on EU and Mercosur to conclude the free trade agreement

  

  The president of the European Commission (EC), Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, called on Friday for concluding negotiations and finalizing a free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

• Friday, July 11th 2014 - 01:45 UTC

  Mercosur summit on 29 July in Caracas, according to Venezuela and Paraguay

  

  The much delayed Mercosur summit will finally take place at the end of the month in Caracas, according to sources from Paraguay and Venezuela. During the last OAS meeting, Venezuelan Foreign minister Elias Jaua confirmed to his Paraguay peer Eladio Loizaga that the date is 29 July and that the consultation process has been completed.

• Tuesday, July 1st 2014 - 10:16 UTC

  Mercosur waking up to the significance and impact of the Pacific Alliance

  

  Mercosur leaders called for dialogue with the Pacific Alliance over its perception that Mercosur is becoming an obstacle to integration and wider growth in the region. Uruguayan Vice-President Danilo Astori seemingly sparked the debate a few weeks ago when he said that “Mercosur mustn’t be a terminal station,” calling for formal trade deals with the Pacific Alliance.

• Monday, June 30th 2014 - 06:44 UTC

  Uruguay ratifies Bolivia's Mercosur incorporation; consolidates Atlantic/Pacific corridor

  

  Uruguay promulgated the bill which incorporates Bolivia as the latest member of Mercosur, the South American group made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. The incorporation of Bolivia should help with the consolidation of a Mercosur Atlantic-Pacific corridor across South America.

• Friday, June 27th 2014 - 07:30 UTC

  Argentina praises international support and confirms payment to Paris Club

  

  Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich praised the “clear, categorical and broad” support for Argentina’s stance in its dispute with speculative funds' holdouts from 133 countries from the UN system and specialized international media, and also confirmed that next month it will make the first payment of the agreement reached with the Paris Club.

• Monday, June 23rd 2014 - 04:39 UTC

  Mercosur and Celac stand by Argentina in the hedge funds litigation

  

  Mercosur and Celac country-members expressed support for Argentina and its ongoing litigation with the holdout hedge funds, particularly last week's decision from the US Supreme Court, (which refused to consider the case), and the financial consequences emerging from such a position.

• Saturday, June 21st 2014 - 09:04 UTC

  Brazil disappointed with Argentina's 'lack of ambition' in reaching trade accord with EU

  

  Argentina and Brazil have again clashed not over football but over trade and Mercosur according to the Sao Paulo media. Brazil believes there is “a lack of ambition from Argentina” to finish polishing the proposal to be exchanged with the European Union for a much delayed cooperation and trade agreement.

• Saturday, June 21st 2014 - 08:35 UTC

  Bachelet proposes meeting of Mercosur and Pacific Alliance leaders

  

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Friday proposed a September gathering between officials and business leaders from Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance in hopes of creating a tie-up between the two Latin American trade groups.