Mercosur

• Monday, May 7th 2012 - 04:59 UTC

  Soybeans becomes Uruguay’s main export item, estimated at 1.1bn in 2012

  

  Soybeans are set to establish several records this year in Uruguay: exports will be above one billion dollars; for the first time the oilseed will be the leading export item of the country displacing beef and prospects for the next season are that over a million hectares will be planted.

• Saturday, May 5th 2012 - 06:26 UTC

  Uruguay supports Argentina’s seizure of YPF but countries decide “proceedings”

  

  Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro backed Argentina’s controversial decision to nationalize the country's biggest oil company YPF arguing countries’ right to recover a strategic market is “indisputable”.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 06:10 UTC

  “Land grabbing” and the concentration process in Mercosur members

  

  The processes of concentration, foreign ownership and land degradation came to be a central concern of supranational bodies and NGOs that warn, like the United Nations Organizations for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of the “negative effects of these phenomena on food security, agricultural employment and the development of family farming.”

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 01:23 UTC

  YPF dispute has meant a “disruption of trust” between the EU and Mercosur

  

  European Commission Deputy Director General for Enterprise and Industry Daniel Calleja warned on Wednesday that Europe has lost its trust in Mercosur trade block after the government announced it would expropriate 51% of YPF shares, owned by Spanish oil company Repsol.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 06:41 UTC

  Fitch upgrades rating outlook to positive; warnings about Argentina and inflation

  

  Fitch Ratings revised Uruguay's rating outlook to positive from stable on Tuesday, citing the country's ability to cut external and budget vulnerabilities. However Fitch warns about the deteriorating situation in neighbouring Argentina and inflation.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 06:21 UTC

  Uruguay and Argentina reach agreement on tax information exchange

  

  Uruguay and Argentina agreed to exchange tax data in a deal that gives Argentine inspectors the power to dig up information on savers with bank accounts in the neighbouring country, officials said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, April 24th 2012 - 01:09 UTC

  Setback for Spain: EU confirms trade talks with Mercosur, including Argentina

  

  A member of the European Union assured it is not possible to negotiate an agreement between the EU and Mercosur without Argentina, as the Spanish Government planned after the country’s decision to expropriate YPF.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 23:42 UTC

  Argentina February economic activity expands 5.2%, but surprises ahead for industry

  

  Argentina's economy grew at an annual rate of 5.2% in February according to the country’s stats office Indec monthly economic activity report Emae, reflecting good performances in construction and manufacturing. But prospects for the industrial sector could have some surprises.
  The Emae indicator rose 0.3% in seasonally adjusted terms from January, Indec added.

• Wednesday, April 18th 2012 - 22:22 UTC

  Uruguay’s Mujica supports Argentina in the YPF dispute, but opposition blasts the president

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica expressed solidarity with the Argentine government decision to nationalize the oil company YPF belonging to Spain’s Repsol and said he does not like the “arrogance of rich Europe”. His position however was strongly criticized by the opposition.

• Monday, April 16th 2012 - 21:48 UTC

  Argentina sends bill to takeover control of YPF from Spain’s Repsol

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner sent to Congress a draft bill to expropriate Spain’s Repsol’s holdings of YPF oil and gas company. The announcement was made on Monday at the Government House during a sudden meeting with officials, political leaders, unionists and businessmen.