The High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, considered that the Europeans, in their relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, were on “the right path”, but “too slow”, on Tuesday 19 January, during a debate in the plenary session of the European Parliament.
He therefore advocated a shift in gears, noting that China has now overtaken the EU as the region's second largest trading partner. “But we are still the leaders in direct investment in Latin America, with a stock of 800 billion at the end of 2018”, he noted.
Mercosur. Borrell called for the revised trade agreement with Mexico to be signed in 2021. And, with regard to the agreement with Mercosur, which the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU wishes to take forward (see EUROPE 12631/5), he asked for the “help” of MEPs to find a solution to the dispute over the ambition to combat climate change.
Let us seek a solution through “a complementary statement” so as not to throw through the window 20 years of efforts and not to tell Latin Americans, in these difficult times of struggle against the Covid-19 pandemic, that we cannot find an agreement to increase our bilateral trade relations, he pleaded.
The EP's refusal to ratify - as it stands - the EU/Mercosur agreement had not escaped its notice (see EUROPE 12575/16). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)