The European Union’s farm chief pressed Latin American countries to offer market access for EU wines, spirits, olive oil and dairy goods to help seal a free-trade agreement that has been in the works for two decades.
European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said the Mercosur group of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay has failed to reciprocate a “generous” EU proposal on Dec. 5 to accept hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year of beef, ethanol, sugar and citrus fruits from the four nations. He’s due to meet Mercosur ministers in Buenos Aires on Dec. 10 as part of a World Trade Organization gathering.