Brazil chancellor in Brussels for Mercosur–EU meeting

Brazil’s Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira will meet with chancellors from Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) tomorrow (Jul. 17) in Brussels, Belgium. On Wednesday (18), a meeting is to be held with the Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, from the European Commission, as well as Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan, from the European Commission.

Before the arrival of the chancellors, technical meetings were held with representatives from the two blocs with no significant result. Mercosur and the European Union (EU) are seeking specific deals on the auto industry, automation parts, geographical indications of products, maritime transport, and dairies.

Also on the list of concerns faced by Mercosur are beef, sugar, and ethanol. More recently included on the agenda was the EU’s push to reduce tariffs on cars produced in Mercosur member states.

In the last contacts between the two blocs, in May and June, spokespeople said that a consensus is made all the more difficult by the lack of flexible offers. In April, Mercosur and EU officials met in Buenos Aires and did not reach a consensus on a number of controversial topics. The two groups have been attempting to reach an agreement for nearly two decades.

*Information from Agencia EFE.