EU gauges will for Latin America trade deal

European Union's trade commissioner Cecila Malmström met trade ministers from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay on 11 June 2015, to gauge how much support there was for a trade agreement.

The EU sought to develop a deal with the regional bloc, Mercosur, of which the four Latin American countries are the founding members, but talks have been slow for years (Venezuela is also a member).

Fifteen years after talks between the EU and Mercosur were first launched in 1999, both sides have missed self-imposed deadlines to swap offers for opening markets in a pact that would encompass 750 million people and $130 billion in annual trade.

After a five year break, talks were resumed in 2004, with the goal of exchanging proposals by the end of 2013, which was missed too.

A meeting between the EU and Mercosur was set to take place in the margin of the EU-CELAC summit taking place on 10-11 June 2015.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Merkel wants hurdles removed to EU-Mercosur free trade pact http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-wants-hurdles-removed-to-eu-mercosur-free-trade-pact/

EurActiv, 10.06.15: Paraguay warns against 'two speed' negotiations http://www.euractiv.com/sections/development-policy/paraguay-warns-against-two-speed-negotiations-between-eu-and-mercosur

MercoPress, 11.06.15: Timerman waters down Mercosur/EU agreement expectations http://en.mercopress.com/2015/06/11/timerman-waters-down-mercosur-eu-agreement-expectations

MercoPress, 11.06.15: Mercosur ready to deliver its proposal for the trade agreement with EU http://en.mercopress.com/2015/06/11/mercosur-ready-to-deliver-its-proposal-for-the-trade-agreement-with-eu

MercoPress, 11.06.15: Bolivia's Morales does not support Mercosur/EU deal based on 'competitive' trade http://en.mercopress.com/2015/06/11/bolivia-s-morales-does-not-support-mercosur-eu-deal-based-on-competitive-trade

EUObserver, 11.06.15: EU and Mercosur 'committed to resume' trade talks https://euobserver.com/tickers/129074

European Commission: DG Trade: Policy: Countries and regions: Mercosur http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/mercosur/

EurActiv, 17.07.15: Spanish FM calls for speeding up EU-Mercosur trade talks http://www.euractiv.com/sections/trade-society/spanish-fm-calls-speeding-eu-mercosur-trade-talks-316423

EurActiv, 18.08.15: Paraguay hosts Mercosur preparatory meeting ahead of EU talks http://www.euractiv.com/sections/development-policy/paraguay-hosts-mercosur-preparatory-meeting-ahead-eu-talks-316909

Website: Mercosur http://www.mercosur.int/msweb/portal%20intermediario/

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