The European Commission said this Monday that it remains committed to ending the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) this year, despite the opposition of the ultra-liberal Javier Miley, winner of the Argentine presidential election. .
“We continue to work to meet the deadline set for concluding this agreement before the end of the year, and this is ongoing,” said Olof Gill, a spokesman for the local head of the Ministry of Trade.
Speaking to the press in Brussels a day after Javier Miley won Argentina’s presidential election, a community spokesman said “he has taken note of the election results.”
“What I can say is that the negotiations [sobre o acordo UE-Mercosul] are ongoing and are extremely constructive and focused: three meetings took place between the main negotiators in October and last week,” said Olof Gill.
Ultra-liberal candidate Javier Miley defeated Peronist Sergio Massa in the second round of Argentina’s presidential election on Sunday.
Miley defends controversial positions such as Argentina’s exit from Mercosur, and even classifies the bloc as “a low-quality customs union that creates trade distortions and harms its members.”
At the same time, he criticized the bloc’s trade agreement with the EU, which he called unfavorable.
The EU and MERCOSUR maintain regular contacts to be able to conclude negotiations, especially on issues such as environmental obligations, after the first approval in 2019, which was not continued.
Discussions have changed dramatically over the past two months, leading to expectations that the two blocs will reach an agreement at a summit of Mercosur presidents scheduled for December 7 in Rio de Janeiro.
Argentina’s next president, who will succeed Peronist Alberto Fernandez (2019–2023), will govern the country from December 10 for the period 2023–2027.
The EU-MERCOSUR agreement covers 27 EU member states plus Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, equivalent to 25% of the global economy and 780 million people, almost 10% of the world’s population.
Miley is close to Jair Bolsonaro, the predecessor of current Brazilian head of state Lula da Silva, and an avowed admirer of former North American President Donald Trump.
He defines himself as an “anarcho-capitalist”, an extreme form of liberalism advocating a stateless capitalist society.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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