MERCOSUR: Bloc Expects To Conclude Agreement With EU Shortly

(RTTNews) - Mercosur intends to conclude talks about a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) as soon as possible, say officials from the bloc after a meeting of Mercosur's Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade to assess the status of the negotiations.

Last week a group of 52 lawmakers in the European Parliament asked the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, to suspend negotiations on a trade agreement with Mercosur for the murder of Marielle Franco, a city councilor of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.

The most recent negotiations between the EU and Mercosur on a free trade agreement were launched in May 2016 and include discussions on tax exemptions, certification of origin of products, technical barriers to trade and phytosanitary measures, among other points.