Publication Name
Working Document
Volume, number, page
378
Year of Publication
2013
Organization Name
Centre for European Policy Studies
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior
Acronym
CEPS
FCG
FRIDE
Publisher
CEPS
City
Brussels
Web Page
Country of Publication
Belgium
Full Date
February 2013
ISBN or ISSN
978-94-6138-286-3
Category
Academic articles
Theme
BILATERAL RELATIONS UE - LAC
Subregion - European Union
Keyword(s)
European Union
Mercosur
FTA
Trade
Services
Negotiations
Agreement
Economic Relations
Abstract
This paper aims at identifying ways to pursue the EU–Mercosul negotiations leading to a
free trade agreement (FTA). After reviewing their already long history, it outlines a basic
framework, in goods, services and other themes, judged possible. The main point is that,
given the prevailing conditions on both sides, an agreement to be signed within a reasonable
time must be modest, i.e. along the described lines. It then clearly sets up the decisions
confronting the negotiators: either to pursue the modest, feasible option or to terminate
negotiations under the FTA heading. The latter, however, does not imply an end to the
dialogue. Many actions and measures may be taken – which are easier to discuss and fix –
that could pave the way for, in due time, a closer-to-ideal FTA to be considered again. These
are the subjects of a last section.
free trade agreement (FTA). After reviewing their already long history, it outlines a basic
framework, in goods, services and other themes, judged possible. The main point is that,
given the prevailing conditions on both sides, an agreement to be signed within a reasonable
time must be modest, i.e. along the described lines. It then clearly sets up the decisions
confronting the negotiators: either to pursue the modest, feasible option or to terminate
negotiations under the FTA heading. The latter, however, does not imply an end to the
dialogue. Many actions and measures may be taken – which are easier to discuss and fix –
that could pave the way for, in due time, a closer-to-ideal FTA to be considered again. These
are the subjects of a last section.
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