The European Union and Mercosur held last Friday in Brussels the technical meeting, as was scheduled to assess the state of negotiations for a long delayed and ambitious association and trade agreement, but concluded with no calendar for the exchange of tariff reduction proposals, which is central to the discussions.
The 28-country European Union underscored the potential benefits of a free trade agreement with Mercosur and revealed that so far no country member of the group has requested to a bilateral negotiation.
The European Union, the US and Japan have jointly asked the World Trade Organization to rule in a protracted trade dispute with Argentina. They criticize what they believe are unfair import restrictions and protectionism.
Bolivian President Evo Morales Government’s decision to nationalize the main power transport company that was in hands of Red Eléctrica Española (REE) generated claims from Spain, while United States and the European Union showed their “concern.”
Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman is in the middle of a major diplomatic blunder through a baffling series of statements regarding a letter sent by the EU to his office last week, according to a report published in the Buenos Aires Herald.
The European Community strongly supported Spain and oil corporation Repsol saying that the expropriation by Argentina of YPF is “a very negative signal” for investors and could seriously damage the business climate of the country.
Argentina categorically rejected ‘false’ statements from the EU Trade spokesperson relative to a clarification request to Argentina, allegedly not replied, involving relations of the UK with Buenos Aires and also questioned the EU ‘silence’ on the Malvinas sovereignty question.
The European Union has called on Argentina to respect international trade commitments, following on the announcement by the Minister of Industry to boycott the purchase of imports originating in the UK in an escalating row over the Falklands.
The European Union and Mercosur begin Monday a new round of negotiations in Brussels to reach an association and trade agreement although proposals for market access will not be on the table yet.
A trade agreement with Mercosur should not have to destroy the European beef industry, said on Tuesday a spokesperson for the European Community who added that such fears are ‘exaggerated’.