Next November 13 the Holland America Line “Veendam” will be calling in Montevideo with 1.400 passengers signalling the official beginning of the cruise season in Uruguay expected to extend until April 4.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica insisted that the best regulation for the media is no regulation, although admitting that many times he feels disappointed, when not furious with some of the articles published.
Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro trusts parliament will ratify before the end of the year the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, protocol thus formally incorporating to the regional political and defence group. Uruguay’s legislative opposition does not support incorporation to Unasur.
The governments of Uruguay and Switzerland agreed a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) on October 18. The document was signed by the Uruguay’s Economy Minister, Fernando Lorenzo, and his Swiss counterpart, Hans-Rudolf Merz.
Uruguay announced that it will authorize Finland’s Stora Enso so build one of the world’s largest pulp mills but also warned about “wide ranging, strict supervision” of the environment to comply with international practice and to avoid problems with neighbouring Argentina, as happened with Botnia.
A delegation of Saudi agro-business entrepreneurs headed by the Agriculture minister (and member of the royal family) visited Uruguay with the purpose of establishing a fluid trade exchange and on the long term a strategic alliance.
Uruguay celebrated on Thursday the 25 years since being accepted as Consultative member of the Antarctic Treaty. The event coincided this year with the XXXIIIth Antarctic Treaty Consultative meeting which for the first time was hosted by Uruguay last May.
Chambers of Commerce from Europe, Brazil and Uruguay called on their governments to give a new thrust to negotiations for an ambitious cooperation and trade EU/Mercosur agreement.
The IMF expects the Uruguayan economy to expand strongly this year, 8.5% and 5% in 2011 in a world framework which is experiencing the slow consolidation of recovery but still highly vulnerable.
Uruguay is optimistic about taking a share of the tariff free 20.000 tons of the feed-lot beef quota which the European Union establishes annually. The dossier with all the requested information has been sent to the EU and if finally approved would further boost the Uruguayan cattle and meat industries which are experiencing one of its best moments in history.