Brussels, 20/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - European Industry Commissioner and Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, accompanied by a 25-strong delegation representing European business and associations has been visiting South America since 16 December. The first stage of the trip, on 16 December, took him to Brazil, where he met President Dilma Rousseff, signed three SME cooperation agreements and promoted technological clusters and exchange for young professions from either side of the Atlantic and also tourism. Following a second stage, from 17 to 19 December, in Argentina, where he met President Cristina Kirchner and discussed strengthening relations between her country and the EU, highlighting the issues of raw materials, industrial innovation, convergence on standards, and tourism, Tajani was in Uruguay on Tuesday 20 December. He was representing Commission President José Manuel Barroso at the annual summit of the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). At the same time, he was expected to sign agreements with Uruguay on industrial cooperation, SMEs, raw materials, standards and tourism. (EH/transl.rt)