
Foreign Affairs minister Celos Amorim implicitly admitted that access to the Brazilian market for other Latin American countries, including Mercosur, is not easy because of a proliferation of non trade barriers which has resulted in large surpluses with most of the region’s countries.

Mercosur Foreign Affairs ministers meeting on Monday in Argentina said they trust the European Union will match the latest offer from the South American block to make possible a trade and cooperation agreement that has remained elusive for years.

The recent resumption of negotiations for a cooperation and free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union will be at the heart of the EU/Brazil summit scheduled to begin Wednesday in Brasilia.