Borrell calls for speeding up ratification of the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur

The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called today, Tuesday, in Buenos Aires, for a solution to the problems that prevent the ratification of the trade agreement between the bloc and Mercosur.

“We have the pending issue of the (agreement with) Mercosur, which I still consider of strategic importance, for which we have to work, identifying the problems that still exist, looking for a solution,” said Borrell after meeting at the Foreign Ministry with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, Santiago Cafiero.

The European official told the press that the EU and Mercosur must deepen the dialogue by “understanding the pros and cons of each party”.

The trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU was reached on June 28, 2019, after 20 years of negotiations, although its ratification by both blocs is pending.

The head of European diplomacy will participate on Thursday, Oct. 27, in the meeting of foreign ministers of the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the first since 2018, to deepen the dialogue between the two parties.

Chancellor Cafiero indicated that “the CELAC-EU mechanism is necessary in times of uncertainty, and the relationship between both blocs is presented as strategic”.

“CELAC and the EU can develop secure and fair supply chains; that is the challenge ahead of us, to play a role linked to production and employment,” added the head of Argentine diplomacy.

For the full picture, see our Mercosur EU Trade Deal: Complete Guide.