OAS

 
MERCOSUR-European Union
 
  Background and Negotiations
   

MERCOSUR and the European Union have been in negotiations towards a bi-regional free trade area since April 2000. Since 1995, MERCOSUR-EU relations have been guided by the EU-MERCOSUR Framework Cooperation Agreement, signed on 15 December 1995 and fully in force as of 1 July 1999. The agreement currently under negotiation consists of three parts: the political dialogue; trade and economic issues and cooperation. The scope and objectives of the agreement were agreed upon at the first negotiating round in April 2000 then at the Madrid Summit of May 2002.

The main forum for the negotiations is the EU-MERCOSUR bi-regional Negotiations Committee (BNC) along with its Subcommittee on Cooperation (SCC), three subgroups on specific cooperation areas and three Technical Groups (TGs) related to trade matters. As of October 2006, sixteen negotiating rounds have been conducted. Since May 2004 negotiations have been carried out through informal technical meetings. In September 2004 both parties made available their market access offers.

At a Ministerial meeting in Lisbon in October 2004, MERCOSUR and EU negotiators reiterated the priority of the negotiation of the Association Agreement. In May 2005 at a meeting in Luxembourg, Ministers reviewed progress achieved to that point and in September 2005, at a Ministerial meeting, they met to conduct a further evaluation of the progress toward a conclusion of the agreement.

On 04 May 2010 the European Commission decided to relaunch trade negotiations with MERCOSUR. Following the re-launch, the first round of negotiations was held from 29 June to 02 July 2010 in Buenos Aires. The second round took place in Brussels on 11-15 October, and the third round in Brasilia from 22 November to 07 December 2010. In February 2011 in Paraguay and Uruguay, MERCOSUR and EU met to advance their ongoing trade negotiations. The following rounds of negotiations took place on 14-18 March 2011 in Brussels and on 02-06 May 2011 in Asunción, Paraguay.  In In the context of the XXII Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee (BNC), delegations from MERCOSUR and the European Union held working meetings from July 4th to July 8th, 2011. The XXIII Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee (BNC), took place from 7 to 11 November 2011. The eight round was held in the context of the XXIV meeting of the Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee (BNC),  from 12 to 16 March 2012. In the framework of the XXV Bi-regional Negotiations Committee, delegates from MERCOSUR and the European Union met in Brasília from 22 to 26 October 2012 for the ninth round of MERCOSUR-EU negotiations.

Delegates form MERCOSUR and the European Union met for a Ministerial Meeting in Santiago, Chile, on January 26, 2013.

On 24 February 2014, in the context of the Seventh Brazil-EU Summit, the Brazilian president indicates that a free trade deal between MERCOSUR and the EU is close to completion.

On 11 June 2015, representatives from MERCOSUR and the European Union held a Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

On 11 May 2016, Chief Negotiators of MERCOSUR and the European Union met in Brussels to exchange offers on access to their respective markets of goods, services and establishment and government procurement. After this exchange of offers, the tenth round of negotiations concluded in Brussels on October 14, 2016.

The XXVIIth round of the Mercosur-EU Bi-Regional Negotiating Committee was susccessfully concluded on March 24, 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During this meeting there were advances in three parts of the future Association Agreement: Trade Pact, Political Dialogue and Bi-Regional Cooperation.

The XXVIIIth round of negotiations of the Trade Part of the Association Agreement between the European Union and MERCOSUR took place from 3 to 7 July, 2017 in Brussels.

On November 10, 2017, the foreign ministers of MERCOSUR met with the vice president of the European Commission to whom they presented a comprehensive proposal to reach the MERCOSUR-European Union agreement. Negotiations continue in 2018. The negotiations continued on March 11-15, 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On June 28, 2019, MERCOSUR and the EU reach an agreement for a comprehensive trade agreement in Brussels, Belgium.

On the occasion of the EU27-LAC Informal Ministerial Meeting in Berlin on 14 December, MERCOSUR and the European Union discussed a way forward for the ratification and entry into force of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. They expressed their conviction that the Agreement should be implemented in such a way so as to provide benefits to both sides in the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. They reiterated their commitment to effectively implement the international commitments set out in the Agreement, including the Paris Agreement.

Documents relating to the MERCOSUR-EU negotiations
14 December 2020 MERCOSUR-EU Statement on Sustainable Development at the EU-27-LAC Informal Ministerial Meeting PDF New!
28 June 2019 Brussels, Belgium. Key elements of the EU-MERCOSUR trade agreement PDF
28 June 2019 Draft text of the agreement
28 June 2019 Brussels, Belgium. MERCOSUR and EU reach agreement for a trade agreement PDF
13-17 May 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Trade negotiations move forward PDF
11-15 March 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina. New round of negotiations PDF
15 January 2019 Report from the 37th round of negotiations PDF
04 October 2018 Report from the 35th round of negotiations PDF
01 August 2018 Report from the 34th round of negotiations PDF
09 July 2018 Brussels, Belgium. New round of negotiations spanish PDF
23 April 2018 Brussels, Belgium. MERCOSUR and the EU to continue negotiations spanish PDF
10 November 2017 MERCOSUR presents comprehensive proposal to EU spanish PDF
10-14 October 2016 Brussels, Belgium. Tenth round of negotiations PDF
11 May 2016 Brussels, Belgium. MERCOSUR-European Union: Joint Communiqué on exchange of negotiating offers PDF
11 June 2015 Brussels, Belgium. MERCOSUR-European Union Ministerial Meeting: Joint CommuniquéPDF
24 February 2014 Brazilian President indicates that MERCOSUR and the European Union are close to reaching a trade agreement In Portuguese PDF
26 January 2013 Santiago, Chile. Joint Communique of European Union-MERCOSUR Ministerial Meeting PDF
16 March 2012 Brussels, Belgium. Statement of the EU and MERCOSUR after the 8th round of negotiations on the future association agreement between both regions PDF format
02-06 May 2011 Asuncion, Paraguay. Fifth round of negotiations PDF format
14-18 March 2011 Brussels, Belgium. Fourth round of negotiations PDF format
04 February 2011

EU Trade Commissioner discusses MERCOSUR-EU trade negotiations in Paraguay and Uruguay PDF format

08 December 2010 Third round of negotiations PDF format
11-15 October 2010 Second round of negotiations spanish PDF format
29 June-02 July 2010 First round of negotiations PDF format
04 May 2010 European Commission proposes re-launch of trade negotiations with MERCOSUR countries PDF format
15 February 2010 EU-Mercosur Association Agreement may be signed at the EU-Latin America summit in May PDF format
13 May 2006 Vienna, Austria. EU-MERCOSUR Ministerial Meeting Joint Communiqué PDF format 
02 September 2005 Brussels, Belgium. MERCOSUR-EU Ministerial Meeting Joint Communiqué PDF format
26 May 2005 Luxembourg. MERCOSUR-EU Ministerial Meeting Joint Communiqué PDF format
20 October 2004 Lisbon, Portugal. MERCOSUR-EU Trade Ministerial meetingPDF format
17 May 2002 Madrid, Spain. Second meeting of Heads of State and of Government of the European Union and of MERCOSUR PDF format
15 December 1995

Interregional Framework Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Southern Common Market and its Party States, of the other part PDF format

Sources: European Commission, European Union, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la República del Paraguay, Ministério das Relações Exteriores -Brasil

Documents of the Bi-regional Negotiations Committee (BNC)
04-08 June 2018 Montevideo, Uruguay. Report from the XXXIII round of negotiations PDF
21 February-02 March 2018 Report from the XXXII round of negotiations PDF
29 November-08 December 2017 Report from the XXXI round of negotiations PDF
06-10 November 2017 Brasilia, Brazil. Report from the XXX round of negotiations PDF
02-06 October 2017 Brasilia, Brazil. Report from the XXIX round of negotiations PDF
03 October 2017 Brasilia, Brazil. Meeting of the of the Bi-regional Negotiations Committee (BNC) in Spanish PDF
11 September 2017 Brussels, Belgium. Meeting of the of the Bi-regional Negotiations Committee (BNC) (Political and Cooperation Chapters) in Spanish PDF
7 July 2017 MERCOSUR-EU Joint Communiqué, XXVIII negotiating round PDF
3-7 July 2017 Report of the XXVIII MERCOSUR-EU negotiation round of the MERCOSUR-EU Association Agreement PDF
10 April 2017 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Report of the XXVII MERCOSUR-EU negotiation round of the MERCOSUR-EU Association Agreement PDF

European Union Proposals:
27 March 2017 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Joint EU-Mercosur Communiqué Following the XXVIIth Round of Negotiations PDF
23 September 2016 European Union Proposals:
23 June 2016 Montevideo, Uruguay. Bi-regional Negotiations Committee meeting to take place in October in Brussels PDF
22-26 October 2012 Brasilia, Brazil. Nine round of negotiations in the framework of the XXV meeting of the EU-MERCOSUR Bi-regional Negotiations Committee PDF format
12-16 March 2012 Brussels, Belgium. XXIV Meeting of the EU-MERCOSUR Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee  PDF format
07-11 November 2011 Montevideo, Uruguay. Seventh round of trade negotiations in the context of the XXIII Meeting of the EU-MERCOSUR Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee PDF format
04-08 July 2011 Brussels, Belgium. XXII Meeting of the EU-MERCOSUR Bi-Regional Negotiations Committee  PDF format
03-07 May 2004 Brussels, Belgium. 13th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format  
03-07 May 2004 Brussels, Belgium. 13th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
08-12 March 2004 Buenos Aires, Argentina. 12th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
02-05 December 2003 Brussels, Belgium. 11th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
23-27 June 2003 Asunción, Paraguay. 10th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
17-21 March 2003 Brussels, Belgium. 9th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
11-15 November 2002 Brasilia, Brazil. 8th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
08-11 April 2002 Buenos Aires, Argentina. 7th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
29-31 October 2001 Brussels, Belgium. 6th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeeMS Word format
02-06 July 2001 Montevideo, Uruguay. 5th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
  5th meeting - summary of EU offer Spanish MS Word format
19-22 March 2001 Brussels, Belgium. 4th meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
07-10 November 2000 Brasilia, Brazil. 3rd meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
  3rd meeting: joint press releasePDF format
13-16 June 2000 Brussels, Belgium. 2nd meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
06-07 April 2000 Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1st meeting of MERCOSUR-EU biregional negotiations committeePDF format
Source: European Union; Subsecretaría de Política y Gestión Comercial, Dirección Nacional de Polítical Comercial Externa de Argentina

Documents relating to Parties' market access offers
EU Offer  
28 September 2004 EU-MERCOSUR New complete offer from the EU MS Word format
  EU Completed tariff offer - industrial products MS Word format
  EU offer on fishery products MS Word format
  Consolidated offer to MERCOSUR on agriculture MS Word format
 

Annex 3: Tariff quota MS Excel format

 

EU offer on PAPs MS Word format

 

Counter offer - processed agricultural products MS Excel format

  EU offer on services MS Word format
  EC offer on establishment MS Word format
  Government procurement MS Word format
 

Annex I - entities at central level

MERCOSUR offer  
23 September 2004 MERCOSUR offer on goods
 

Accompaniment to MERCOSUR offer Spanish MS Word format

 

MERCOSUR completed market access offer MS Word format

 

Conditions included in the offer at the tariff line level Spanish MS Excel format

  MERCOSUR offer on services, investment and government procurement
24 September 2004
MERCOSUR's completed offer on investment MS Word format
 

MERCOSUR's completed offer on services MS Word format

 
Government Procurement - Brazilian offer MS Word format
Source: European Union; Subsecretaría de Política y Gestión Comercial, Dirección Nacional de Polítical Comercial Externa de Argentina

  Related Articles and Studies
   
September 2006 European Commission. MERCOSUR - European Community Regional Strategy Paper 2002-2006 PDF format
February 2003 Centro de Economía Internacional, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto de Argentina. Oportunidades y Amenazas para la Argentina de un Acuerdo MERCOSUR - Unión Europea. Un estudio de impacto sectorial PDF format
   

  Sources
   
 

Recent Developments
  14 December 2020. MERCOSUR-EU Statement on Sustainable Development at the EU-27-LAC Informal Ministerial Meeting New!
 

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