Mercosur

• Monday, November 4th 2013 - 23:57 UTC

  EU lawmaker 'cautiously optimistic' about trade agreement with Mercosur in 2014

  

  A member from the European parliament, Jean Pierre Audy who headed a mission to Brazil last week said he was confident that next year the long standing negotiations for a free trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Mercosur “could be concluded”.

• Monday, November 4th 2013 - 06:01 UTC

  Botnia/UPM controversy: Argentina retaliates delaying Uruguayan exports

  

  Argentina's clash with Uruguay over the Botnia/UPM pulp mill has led to furious retaliations from Buenos Aires severely limiting trade and not allowing Argentine exporters to make use of the port of Montevideo for transshipment.

• Saturday, November 2nd 2013 - 21:03 UTC

  Mujica says Argentina's attitude in Mercosur is 'insular' and shatters integration

  

  Uruguay President José “Pepe” Mujica questioned Argentina’s recent decision to stop freight transfers at ports belonging to Mercosur countries Buenos Aires has no maritime agreements with. Mujica blasted an “insular” position that “shatters” regional integration.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 21:17 UTC

  Paraguayan congress should vote Venezuela's incorporation to Mercosur before December summit

  

  Foreign minister Eladio Loizaga revealed that the Paraguayan congress must first approve Venezuela's protocol of incorporation to Mercosur before the country can attend the coming bloc's summit scheduled for next 17 December in Caracas.

• Thursday, October 31st 2013 - 21:35 UTC

  Mercosur calls special meeting in November to consolidate trade proposal before the EU

  

  Mercosur will be holding a special meeting of foreign ministers next 15 November in Caracas to consolidate “Mercosur presentation before the European Union”, according to a release from the Argentine Foreign ministry.

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 21:26 UTC

  Cartes and Rousseff confirm Mercosur with inauguration of 500 KW power plant and transmission line

  

  Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes and his peer from Brazil Dilma Rousseff inaugurated on Tuesday a 500KW power plant and line from the Itaipú hydroelectric dam to the city of Asunción which should help end endemic blackouts and supply a new industrial park.

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 07:33 UTC

  Botnia/UPM conflict: Argentina retaliates against Uruguay with trade and port measures

  

  Argentina has made public its first retaliation against Uruguay over the Botnia/UPM pulp mill controversy and has banned Argentine exports from being trucked to Montevideo for shipment overseas. The resolution was published Tuesday in the Official Gazette and invokes maritime transport agreements in the framework of Mercosur.

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 07:22 UTC

  In a further step to normalize relations Paraguay names new ambassador to Venezuela

  

  Paraguay has named veteran diplomat Enrique Jara as new ambassador in Venezuela, giving a further step towards the full normalization of relations that had been interrupted since July 2012 when the two countries expelled their respective accredited staff.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 20:30 UTC

  Cartes and Rousseff to open vital supply power line for Paraguay's capital built with Mercosur funds

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff will inaugurate on Tuesday in Paraguay next to his peer Horacio Cartes a high voltage transmission line from the world's largest operational hydroelectric dam Itaipú to metropolitan Asuncion, capital of the landlocked country and which was financed with Mercosur funds.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 04:59 UTC

  Paraguay will lead Mercosur trade negotiations with the EU next December

  

  The Paraguayan foreign affairs ministry will represent Mercosur next December when the exchange of proposals with the European Union for a long pending free trade agreement, announced Uruguayan president Jose Mujica on Friday following private talks with his visiting peer from Paraguay, Horacio Cartes.