Mercosur

• Sunday, December 31st 2017 - 20:47 UTC

  Corruption in Uruguayan government “very much extended”, says opinion poll

  

  Although Uruguay is well positioned internationally when it comes to corruption perception, it is considered among the least corrupt together with Chile in Latin America by Transparency International and LatinoBarometer, a public opinion poll published the last week of 2017 in Montevideo seems to show quite a different perception, particularly among young people.

• Friday, December 29th 2017 - 14:32 UTC

  Falkland Islands debates the landing fee for cruise visitors

  

  The Falkland Islands Environment Committee, held a lively debate on the cost of the landing fee for cruise visitors which is scheduled to be increased to £25 per passenger, and which was described as “the highest in the region” by the head of the Islands Tourist Board.

• Sunday, December 24th 2017 - 17:21 UTC

  EU bureaucracy ready to sign deal with Mercosur, but France and Ireland object

  

  The European Union now hopes to conclude a trade deal with the Mercosur bloc by February next year. EU agriculture chief Phil Hogan admitted that there were still 15 “open issues”, following a “difficult” meeting with the Mercosur countries in Buenos Aires last week.

• Sunday, December 24th 2017 - 11:42 UTC

  Venezuela expels Brazilian and Canadian top diplomats

  

  Officials in Venezuela took the first step on Saturday toward expelling top diplomats from Brazil and Canada who have been accused of meddling in the country’s politics. National constituent assembly president Delcy Rodriguez declared both Brazil’s ambassador and Canada’s charge d’affaires as persona non grata, a move which does away with their diplomatic credentials.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:35 UTC

  Chile calls for closer links between Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance

  

  Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Heraldo Munoz called for closer ties between Latin America's two leading trade blocs. Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance should work more closely together, Munoz told the 51st Mercosur and associate members summit held this week in Brasilia.

• Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 11:02 UTC

  Macri sends message to the Venezuelan people and demands respect for human rights

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri in Brasilia expressed full solidarity with the Venezuelan people, called for human rights respect and freedom for the political prisoners held by the regime of president Nicolas Maduro.

• Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 10:58 UTC

  “Mercosur, the most isolated and protectionist block in the world”

  

  Mercosur is the most isolated and protectionist block in the world, said Argentine president Mauricio Macri on Thursday during a meeting with Argentine media, in Brasilia, in the framework of the current presidential summit during which the six-month rotating chair of the group will passed from Brazil to Paraguay.

• Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 10:46 UTC

  Mercosur divided on Jerusalem vote: Argentina and Paraguay abstained; Brazil and Uruguay supported

  

  A resolution backed overwhelmingly by the United Nations has effectively called on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote in support of the resolution was 128, nine against and 35 abstentions. The South American Mercosur block, currently holding a summit in Brasilia, voted divided, while Brazil and Uruguay supported the resolution, Argentina and Paraguay abstained.

• Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 11:26 UTC

  Egypt attends Mercosur summit in Brasilia

  

  Egypt is attending the ministerial meeting of the Mercosur bloc in Brasilia to deliver a message about the importance of joining the group, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Tarek Kabil said in a statement.

• Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 11:12 UTC

  EU stands firmly on its beef offer to Mercosur: 70.000 tons

  

  The European Union's offer on beef in Mercosur trade negotiations has not been revised according to the EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan, who said a deal may happen in February. Speaking to journalists in Brussels on Wednesday, EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said that the EU's offer on beef access for Mercosur countries has not been revised since December 5.