The European Union (EU) is trying to take a “constructive approach” with Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) countries through a “heavy schedule” of meetings to resolve “outstanding issues” in order to reach a trade agreement. by the end of the year.
The position was conveyed to Lusa by an official source from the European Commission – the institution that discusses EU trade policy – on the day negotiators from both sides of the Atlantic meet in Brasilia.
According to Community Trade Executive Olof Gill, “the main item on the agenda for discussion at the chief negotiators meeting this Tuesday and tomorrow is [quarta-feira] in Brasilia, is MERCOSUR’s response to the EU’s supplementary document on sustainable development.”
In response to Lusa’s question about the status of progress, Olof Gil noted that “both sides are working on a constructive approach, reflecting on outstanding issues, and have agreed on a busy agenda of meetings in the coming weeks to ensure a quick conclusion.”
“This corresponds to the commitment made at the presidential level to complete negotiations by the end of the year,” the official said.
EU and Mercosur officials will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brasilia to continue negotiations on a trade agreement between the two blocs.
The EU and MERCOSUR maintain regular contacts with a view to concluding negotiations on an annex to the agreement regarding environmental obligations.
Negotiators for that trade agreement met again digitally in the middle of this month to discuss it, with Mercosur responding to the EU expressing a “great commitment” to concluding the protocol by the end of the year.
EU and Mercosur negotiators are then wrapping up negotiations to seal the trade deal, which was approved five years ago but which has been contested within the community bloc over competition and environmental concerns.
Brazil currently holds the rotating presidency of MERCOSUR.
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.
Within the EU, countries such as France and Austria are challenging the EU-MERCOSUR agreement on commercial and environmental grounds.