
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman indicated that Argentina’s participation in the 6th Summit of the Americas “left a very positive balance,” and stressed on the importance of the bilateral meeting between President Cristina Fernández and US president Barack Obama.

Uruguay has fallen prisoner of Mercosur and Argentina because it did not sign the free trade agreement with the United States which was offered to the country in the previous government of Tabare Vazquez, said two-times President Julio Maria Sanguinetti.

The US will remain on the sidelines in the dispute between the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands sovereignty, said President Barack Obama on Sunday at the conclusion of the Summit of the Americas in Colombia.