Post by account_disabled on Feb 20, 2024 3:30:00 GMT -5
Expressing frustration at negotiations that have dragged on for more than 20 years, Peña told the Financial Times that the time had come for European leaders to make a political decision on whether they wanted an agreement with the four full Mercosur member countries: Brazil , Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. "This is no longer a technical issue," he said. A treaty was agreed in principle in 2019, but the EU has not enacted it because some member states, including France, want additional environmental commitments from South America before signing it. Mercosur nations have rejected this as protectionism from European nations fearful of competition from South American meat and wine exports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in July that a deal with Mercosur was “within reach”, but progress since then has been minimal and diplomats say the window of opportunity is closing.
Argentina will hold presidential elections next month and the leading libertarian economist, Javier Milei, has promised to dissolve Mercosur and freeze relations with Brazil if he is elected. Peña, who Job Function Email Database was in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, said he had agreed there with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that if a trade deal with the EU had not been finalized by the time Lula handed over to him the rotating presidency of Mercosur at the beginning of In December, Peña would break off the negotiations. Paraguay is an important soybean exporter, but Peña says 'the future of Paraguay is not food. The future of Paraguay is industry' © Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg “Either we close before December 6 or we don't close,” Peña said in an interview. “I am the one who is going to take the presidency later and I told him [Lula] 'Enough is enough.'” “If there is anyone who can close this deal, it is Lula.
This year, or if not, it won't happen at all she added. “I am super firm on this. Super firm. “Either we do it now or we don’t do it at all.” The Paraguayan president, who took office last month for a five-year term, said Mercosur had other trade agreements in the pipeline with the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. "With Singapore we will close an agreement in two months," he added. "I can assure you it will be very fast." Peña, a former finance minister and central bank board member who studied in the United States, has ambitious plans to catapult Paraguay's economy into the ranks of the small group of high-income South American nations such as Chile and Uruguay. His conservative Colorado Party controls Congress and has dominated Paraguayan politics for most of the last 75 years. He is confident that the South American beef and soybean exporter can achieve an investment grade rating for its modest external debt within a couple of years, while establishing a strong track record. "Our conversation with the credit rating agencies is, 'What else do you need?' and they say: “We need time to see the coherence of he said.
Argentina will hold presidential elections next month and the leading libertarian economist, Javier Milei, has promised to dissolve Mercosur and freeze relations with Brazil if he is elected. Peña, who Job Function Email Database was in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, said he had agreed there with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that if a trade deal with the EU had not been finalized by the time Lula handed over to him the rotating presidency of Mercosur at the beginning of In December, Peña would break off the negotiations. Paraguay is an important soybean exporter, but Peña says 'the future of Paraguay is not food. The future of Paraguay is industry' © Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg “Either we close before December 6 or we don't close,” Peña said in an interview. “I am the one who is going to take the presidency later and I told him [Lula] 'Enough is enough.'” “If there is anyone who can close this deal, it is Lula.
This year, or if not, it won't happen at all she added. “I am super firm on this. Super firm. “Either we do it now or we don’t do it at all.” The Paraguayan president, who took office last month for a five-year term, said Mercosur had other trade agreements in the pipeline with the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. "With Singapore we will close an agreement in two months," he added. "I can assure you it will be very fast." Peña, a former finance minister and central bank board member who studied in the United States, has ambitious plans to catapult Paraguay's economy into the ranks of the small group of high-income South American nations such as Chile and Uruguay. His conservative Colorado Party controls Congress and has dominated Paraguayan politics for most of the last 75 years. He is confident that the South American beef and soybean exporter can achieve an investment grade rating for its modest external debt within a couple of years, while establishing a strong track record. "Our conversation with the credit rating agencies is, 'What else do you need?' and they say: “We need time to see the coherence of he said.
