Ursula von der Leyen strikes deal with Mercosur, but she will struggle to sell it back home
Largest deal ever concluded by EU has been 25 years in the making
From left: Argentina’s president Javier Milei, Uruguay’s president Luis Lacalle Pou, EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Paraguay’s president Santiago Pena at the Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, Uruguay. Photo: Reuters
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen yesterday signed a landmark trade agreement with Mercosur, the South American trade bloc comprising Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Negotiated over nearly 25 years, the deal is the largest ever concluded by the European Union, potentially reshaping trade dynamics between the two regions.
