Mercosur

• Tuesday, June 28th 2011 - 16:32 UTC

  Argentina promises to end fluvial obstacles to land-locked Paraguayan trade

  

  Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman in Asuncion for the Mercosur summit promised on Tuesday Argentina will put an end to fluvial obstacles to Paraguayan trade. Landlocked Paraguay trades with the rest of the world through the Parana River, most of which crosses Argentine territory.

• Tuesday, June 28th 2011 - 16:26 UTC

  Japan interested in closer links with Mercosur attends summit in Paraguay

  

  Japan is attending the Mercosur summit in Paraguay with an eye on proposing the launch of a dialogue to boost bilateral economic relations and explore the possibility of signing a free trade agreement, reports the Japanese news agency Kyodo.

• Tuesday, June 28th 2011 - 06:12 UTC

  Mercosur summit begins Tuesday among controversy over its effectiveness

  

  The Mercosur summit will be an opportunity to solve asymmetry problems and social inequalities in the region, said Paraguay’ Foreign Affairs minister Jorge Lara Castro. The South American customs union is meeting this week in Asuncion for the first of two annual summits when the rotating chair will be passed on to Uruguay.

• Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:40 UTC

  Global rice production reaches 476 million tons in 2011; strong Mercosur recovery

  

  Global rice production is expected to touch 476 million tons in 2011, on the back of improved weather conditions, as the influence of La Niña is expected to neutralize by June, United Nation’s body FAO said.

• Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:24 UTC

  Parlasur member claims Mercosur summits have become ‘display of empty rhetoric’

  

  Mercosur summits have become a display of empty rhetoric, full of protocol and ‘family photos’ but with no full hearted willingness to achieve a solid, fair integration, claimed the head of the Paraguayan delegation before Parlasur, the Mercosur Parliament.

• Saturday, June 25th 2011 - 08:00 UTC

  Canada interested in closer links with Mercosur announces ‘exploratory talks’

  

  Canada and Mercosur agreed on Friday to hold exploratory talks to strengthen their relationship, Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast said on Friday. Fast is currently in Asunción to promote bilateral trade and investments, and Paraguay currently holds the Mercosur chair.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 21:50 UTC

  Mercosur summit in Paraguay; Uruguay takes the chair for the next 6 months

  

  Presidents from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador have confirmed they will be attending the Mercosur summit in Paraguay next June 28/29, when the rotating chair of the group for the next six months will pass on to Uruguay.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 19:08 UTC

  Argentina’s trade surplus in May rose 29%; imports soared 39%

  

  Argentina's trade surplus in May rose 29% from the previous month, thanks to high prices for the country's exports of grains and manufactured goods, the national statistics agency said Thursday.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 02:17 UTC

  To contain inflation Uruguay raises benchmark rate 50 points to 8%

  

  As anticipated, Uruguay's central bank raised its benchmark lending rate 50 basis points to 8% on Thursday in an effort to keep inflation within its target range. Uruguay’s consumer price index rose 8.53% in the 12 months through May, far above the official target range of between 4% and 6% set for the 12 months ending June 2012.

• Thursday, June 23rd 2011 - 22:28 UTC

  Paraguay’s economy expands 4.6% in first quarter; down 0.7% from previous quarter

  

  Mercosur full member Paraguay’s economy expanded 4.6% in the first quarter of 2011 compared to a year ago boosted by agriculture in spite of a slowdown in cattle farming and construction, according to the country’s Central bank latest report.