This Friday (April 11.04.2025, XNUMX), the Foreign Ministers of the MERCOSUR Member States met at the San Martín Palace in Buenos Aires and issued a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their commitment to regional integration and defined the bloc's next steps in the face of a dynamic and challenging international context.
In the document, the ministers expressed their willingness to deepen integration and advance the bloc's modernization. "RThey reaffirmed their commitment to the strengthening and unity of MERCOSUR, as well as their determination to modernize and explore, in a coordinated manner, how to best take advantage of the opportunities presented by an international situation", the official text states.
One of the most significant announcements was the decision to temporarily expand the National Lists of Exceptions to the Common External Tariff (CET). This measure will allow each Member State to incorporate up to 50 additional tariff codes into their respective lists, providing flexibility to apply tariffs other than the CET on strategic products.
In this sense, the ministers “They agreed on the need to temporarily expand the National List of Exceptions to the Common External Tariff of each State Party to up to 50 tariff codes. and instructed the respective National Coordinators to implement this understanding, in accordance with the respective internal procedures.".
In addition, the Foreign Ministers highlighted progress in the external agenda of the bloc, such as the signing of the trade agreement with Singapore and the conclusion of negotiations with the European Union. They also expressed their intention to prioritize agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the United Arab Emirates,with a view to concluding both negotiations during the current semester.”
The MERCOSUR modernization process will continue in the coming weeks: the Common Market Group will meet on April 23 and 24, followed by another meeting of Foreign Ministers on May 2. These meetings will serve as preparation for the XNUMXth Ordinary Meeting of the Common Market Council and the MERCOSUR Summit of Presidents, scheduled for July.
Argentina holds the Pro Tempore Presidency of MERCOSUR during the first half of 2025, and Argentine Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein hosted the ministerial meeting.
Photo: MERCOSUR
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