The European Union needs to be ‘fixed, not thrown away’, Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has said in a letter to The Times. The letter follows news that Nigel Lawson is to lead the Conservative movement to leave the EU and Mr. Picardo told the newspaper that those whose best future lies in remaining in a secure Europe “need to speak up”.
Technical delegates from Mercosur and the European Union are holding a round of talks in Asunción to consider 'levels of ambition' for the coming exchange of tariff proposals with the purpose of reaching a much delayed free trade agreement, said Paraguayan Deputy Economic Relations minister, Rigoberto Gauto.
Mercosur foreign ministers meeting held this week in Paraguay to decide on the proposal to present the European Union for a trade agreement, apparently was not as satisfactory as announced because of Argentina's reluctance and 'reserves' about opening its market to the EU.
France is to use a new European opt-out scheme to ensure a ban on the cultivation of genetically modified crops in the country remains in place. The European Union's largest grain grower and exporter has asked the European Commission for France to be excluded from some GM maize crop cultivation under the new scheme, the farm and environment ministries said in a joint statement.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has told the BBC that he will not campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. Mr. Corbyn said that while policy was developing he could not foresee a situation where Labor would campaign for a Brexit under his leadership. He has come under growing pressure from Labour MPs to clarify his position.
European Union agriculture ministers have announced a €500m aid package after thousands of farmers protested on the streets of Brussels. The mainly Belgian, French and German farmers were protesting against plummeting prices for their produce.
Prime Minister and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy wrote an article for the Spanish newspaper Expansión on competiveness.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Brazil's government on Thursday to further open its markets to foreign companies, and said she saw an opportunity to reach a free-trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc. Merkel is on a two-day visit to Brazil with a large delegation of government officials and representatives from German companies.
Technical teams from Mercosur country members are scheduled to meet next Tuesday in Paraguay to iron out the final proposal to be presented by the group to the European Union for the long delayed trade and cooperation agreement. The meeting in Asunción will be headed by Rigoberto Gauto, who is currently the Mercosur coordinator since Paraguay holds this half year the rotating chair.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says he does not believe in a bailout offered by Euro zone leaders, but is willing to implement it. Tsipras described the deal as harsh, but said it was the only way for Greece to remain in the Euro.