Brussels, 19/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Thursday 19 November, EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström and Paraguayan foreign minister Eladio Loizaga discussed the EU-Mercosur free trade talks and confirmed their desire to exchange offers on market access, but did not give any dates.
The European Commission told EUROPE on Thursday 19 November that Loizaga, whose country currently hold's Mercosur's rotating chair (until December), repeated the South American bloc's commitment to a free trade deal and an exchange of offers. Malmström confirmed the EU's desire to negotiate an “ambitious agreement of great value”.
The two sides also discussed the political situation in the EU and in Mercosur, and briefed each other on the possible next stages in the talks. In this connection, Malmström said that the internal coordination process in the EU was underway and she would provide information to the member states at the meeting of European trade ministers on 27 November. The two sides agreed to remain in close contact.
At a meeting between Malmström and Mercosur trade ministers on the fringes of the EU-Latin America summit on 11 June, the two sides pledged to conclude their free trade talks (launched in 1999 and given a new impetus in 2010 after six years of deadlock) and exchange offers on market access before the end of 2015.
The exchange of offers procedure began with a technical meeting of the chief negotiators from the EU and Mercosur in Asuncion on 1-2 October, at which the two sides extra shared information about the content of their respective offers on market access for farm and industrial products, services and public procurement. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)