EU Scolds Latin America for Stalling on Trade Deal
- European agriculture chief prods Latin America for offer
- Political warning sent before key trade talks in Buenos Aires
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg
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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.