BRUSSELS / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – At the recent EU summit in Brussels, Chancellor Friedrich Merz caused confusion with his announcement of an agreement on the Mercosur free trade agreement. While Merz spoke of approval from all EU member states, both Council President Antónío Costa and French President Emmanuel Macron contradicted him. The negotiations over the agreement, which has been discussed since 1999, continue to be characterized by uncertainty.
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At the EU summit in Brussels, Chancellor Friedrich Merz caused considerable confusion with his announcement of an agreement on the Mercosur free trade agreement. Merz claimed that all 27 EU member states, including previously skeptical France, had agreed to sign. However, this statement was quickly qualified by Council President Antónío Costa and French President Emmanuel Macron, who made it clear that no final decision had been made.
The Mercosur agreement, which links the EU with the four Latin American countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, has been negotiated since 1999. The aim is to reduce tariffs and trade barriers as much as possible and to create one of the world’s largest free trade zones. The EU Commission concluded the negotiations last December, but the approval of all member states is still pending. Critics fear that European farmers could come under price pressure and that rainforest destruction in South America will be encouraged.
Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker was also critical and emphasized that he could not agree to the agreement due to a parliamentary decision. This disagreement among EU member states shows that, despite the long duration of negotiations, many hurdles still need to be overcome before the agreement can become a reality.
The negotiations on the Mercosur agreement are also a political signal against the protectionist tariff policy of the USA under President Donald Trump. Many EU countries, including Germany, want to show that fair trade is still possible. Nevertheless, the future of the agreement remains uncertain as technical and political challenges remain. However, Merz and Costa agree that the agreement should be signed by the end of the year, with Merz citing December 19th as a possible date.
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