Germany 🇩🇪 attempts to speed up progress to finalise the proposed EU–Mercosur free trade agreement

🔹Germany 🇩🇪 attempts to speed up progress to finalise the proposed EU–Mercosur free trade agreement (FTA). Mercosur (The Southern Common Market) is a customs union comprising of 12 Latin American countries with a free intra-zone trade & a common trade policy.

🔹Germany's Chancellor O. Scholz is on a Latin America tour to push for the completion of the EU–Mercosur FTA. The EU is concerned over Argentina's recent application to join the BRICS group & discussions of a Latin American common currency announced by Brazil 🇧🇷 & Argentina 🇦🇷.

🔹Total trade with Germany in Argentina exceeded 3.6 billion dollars in 2022, with growth of 8% compared to 2021. The main products exported by Argentina are bovine meat, inorganic chemicals, raw silver, combed wool & natural honey.

🔹Chancellor Scholz failed to convince Argentina 🇦🇷 to send weapons to Ukraine 🇺🇦. Argentina's President A. Fernández diplomatically and politely made this clear during a press conference