Mercosur

• Monday, May 10th 2010 - 05:45 UTC

  Serra Wants Mercosur With Member Vote Linked to GDP and Population

  

  Leading Brazilian presidential candidate José Serra said it was “very good” for his campaign that Venezuela’s leader Hugo Chávez should openly support his main competitor incumbent hopeful Dilma Rousseff and again warned about the shortcomings of Mercosur.

• Thursday, May 6th 2010 - 19:34 UTC

  France Warns EC on Possible Resumption of Negotiations with Mercosur

  

  After the European Commission proposed the resumption of negotiations with Mercosur, France released a warning message to the European Commission and assured that—if the talks are reactivated—both French and European agriculture would be in danger of a potential damage.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 23:03 UTC

  European Farmers up in Arms Against Resumption of EU/Mercosur Talks

  

  France’s main farmers’ organization, FNSEA, called Wednesday on President Nicolas Sarkozy to pressure upon the European Community to impede the re-launching of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Mercosur

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:41 UTC

  Brazil “Blackmails” Paraguay to Approve Venezuela’s Mercosur Annexation

  

  Paraguayan opposition and media strongly criticized Brazilian president Lula da Silva’s for not keeping his Itaipú dam-controversy promises and allegedly for conditioning further assistance to the approval by the Paraguayan congress of Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 02:49 UTC

  EU Wants to Reactivate Negotiations with Mercosur for Association Agreement

  

  The European Commission (EC) has proposed to reactivate its negotiations with Mercosur, stagnant since 2004, with the objective of reaching an association agreement. In its weekly meeting, the EU executive decided to re-establish discussions with Mercosur since it considers “that an eventual pact could generate economic benefits for both parts,” according to an EC communiqué.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 05:55 UTC

  President Lula da Silva Visits Montevideo for Talks with Mujica

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva is expected in Montevideo, Uruguay Tuesday afternoon to hold talks with his counterpart Jose Mujica, following the Unasur extraordinary presidential summit in Buenos Aires.

• Thursday, April 29th 2010 - 07:50 UTC

  Chávez Calls for Venezuela’s Mercosur Incorporation Before Lula da Silva Leaves Office

  

  President Hugo Chávez expects Venezuela will be fully incorporated to Mercosur before Brazilian president Lula da Silva steps down from office next January first. The two leaders met Wednesday in Brasilia and also agreed to strengthen Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

• Tuesday, April 27th 2010 - 17:53 UTC

  Brazil Promises to Insist on Paraguay for Venezuela’s Mercosur Incorporation

  

  Venezuela is an extremely important factor for the social and economic development of the region and Brazil will insist upon Paraguay on the need for the approval of Venezuela’s incorporation as full member of Mercosur, stressed Senator Romero Juca from the Brazilian ruling coalition.

• Monday, April 26th 2010 - 01:10 UTC

  Serra Calls for a More “Flexible” Mercosur; Claims it Limits Brazil’s “Sovereignty”

  

  Brazilian opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra—who leads in public opinion vote intention polls—reiterated his call for a more “flexible” Mercosur, effectively becoming a free trade area, because the current format limits Brazil’s sovereignty to sign agreements with other non member countries.

• Wednesday, April 21st 2010 - 03:04 UTC

  Brazil’s main presidential candidate considers Mercosur a “farce” and a “barrier”

  

  Brazil’s leading presidential candidate Jose Serra described Mercosur as a “farce” and a “barrier” for Brazil to sign trade agreements with other countries.