Mercosur

• Wednesday, November 8th 2017 - 10:26 UTC

  Macri optimistic about reaching a Mercosur/EU trade deal by end of the year

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri who has made signing trade deals a priority, said he was optimistic that Mercosur, the trade bloc formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, would be able to conclude a free trade deal with the European Union by year-end despite differences over beef, ethanol and other agribusiness matters.

• Friday, October 27th 2017 - 08:38 UTC

  EU confirms commitment to reach trade accord with Mercosur by end of the year

  

  European Union leaders have agreed to press ahead with Mercosur talks and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed the bloc will “continue to do everything” to conclude a deal before the end of the year. “It's important,” Mr Juncker said. “We underestimate the importance of Mercosur for the European Union.”

• Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:39 UTC

  Mercosur/EU trade deal again faces French foot dragging with Irish support

  

  France will propose changing the European Commission’s mandate to negotiate a trade deal with Mercosur bloc to include food safety provisions, its envoy to Brazil said on this week.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 02:48 UTC

  Aerolineas Argentinas suspends flights to Venezuela because of security concerns

  

  Aerolineas Argentinas has become the latest carrier to suspend flights to Caracas. The company said it had concerns over security in Venezuela because of increasing criminal violence and political uncertainty. It joins dozens of airlines who have taken similar action.

• Monday, October 2nd 2017 - 11:53 UTC

  Uruguay foreign minister will meet UK's Boris Johnson next Monday in London

  

  Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa announced he will be meeting foreign secretary Boris Johnson next Monday, in London to address Brexit consequences and Uruguay's interest is reaching a trade agreement with the UK. Although both sides are interested in such an understanding, this will be an initial contact, “the strong intention which will have to be followed up by detailed negotiations”, points out the Uruguayan government ministry.

• Wednesday, September 20th 2017 - 18:32 UTC

  Argentina 2018 budget bill forecasts growth of 3.5% and 15.7% inflation

  

  Argentina’s 2018 budget bill forecasts economic growth of 3.5% next year and average annual inflation of 15.7%, Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne told Congress. The bill proposes a 2018 primary fiscal deficit of 3.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) as previously announced.

• Tuesday, September 19th 2017 - 19:57 UTC

  Irish and French farmers warn about Mercosur/EU beef negotiations

  

  News of a potential offer of a tariff rate quota for 85,000 tons of beef in the Mercosur/European Union negotiations has triggered a dismayed reaction from the ICSA’s (Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association’s) Beef Chairman Edmond Phelan.

• Thursday, September 14th 2017 - 20:49 UTC

  Brazilian congress advances political reform to streamline parties; 28 have elected members

  

  Brazil's lower house of Congress has given initial approval to a bill to reduce the huge array of political parties that have made it hard to govern the country and contributed to corruption. The chamber voted 384-16 for the establishment of a minimum national vote threshold that parties must reach to get public funding and free radio and television time for their election campaigns. The requirement would be 1.5% of votes in 2018, rising to 3% in 2030.

• Thursday, September 14th 2017 - 19:17 UTC

  Brazilian agriculture minister home raided by police on corruption probe

  

  Brazil's Police raided the home of a top government official Thursday seeking evidence in yet another corruption case involving a member of embattled President Michel Temer's Cabinet. The operation was authorized by Brazil's top court and is part of an investigation of Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, who is suspected of bribing state lawmakers during his 2003-2010 terms as governor of Mato Grosso.

• Thursday, September 14th 2017 - 18:53 UTC

  Irish beef farmers warn that an EU/Mercosur deal is a “completely unacceptable”

  

  Pushing the European Union Mercosur deal is a “completely unacceptable”, according to Meat Industry Ireland’s (MII) director Cormac Healy. In a statement, Healy said that any progression and completion of the Mercosur trade deal will have negative effects on the EU beef market.