LatinNews Daily - 04 September 2025

*The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU), has proposed the adoption of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and the Mercosur trade bloc comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. The latest draft of the FTA was agreed in December 2024. The current holder of Mercosur’s rotating six-month presidency, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said in June that the deal’s ratification is one of the bloc’s main priorities in 2025. Before it can enter into force, the agreement still needs to be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states. As an apparent move to expedite the approval of at least some sections of the deal, the Commission has suggested ratifying an interim trade agreement (iTA) covering parts of the FTA. Approving a partial agreement could allow countries to reap some of the deal’s benefits sooner, while the more contentious parts can continue to be negotiated. Critics of the FTA, such as the French government, have previously called for additional clauses to safeguard sensitive European agricultural produce. The Commission issued a statement yesterday recognising the “concerns of European farmers” and expressing a commitment to implement safeguarding measures.

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