European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, to negotiate a free trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Discussions have been ongoing for 25 years, and von der Leyen expresses optimism about reaching an agreement.
A summit between the Mercosur nations is scheduled in Montevideo, signaling potential progress in the negotiations. The proposed agreement aims to facilitate trade and reduce costs between the EU and Mercosur, which is valued at tens of billions of euros annually.
However, resistance exists in some European countries; the Dutch parliament recently opposed the deal due to concerns about unfair competition. In contrast, Poland and France have also expressed opposition, hoping for Dutch support.
Despite this, a majority of EU countries favor the agreement, seeing opportunities in expanding the South American market and countering China’s growing influence.
Source: NOS