The presidents of the MERCOSUR countries met this Saturday, December 20, 2025, in Foz do Iguaçu, in the Brazilian state of Paraná, known as the gateway to the impressive Iguazu Falls, which it shares with Argentina. The biannual summit followed previous meetings of foreign ministers and the Common Market Council, and took place in an atmosphere of exchange and strategic planning.
The following participated in the ceremony for the transfer of the Pro Tempore Presidency: four heads of state of the States PartiesBrazil, represented by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (host); Argentina, represented by Javier Milei; Paraguay, represented by Santiago Peña; Uruguay, represented by Yamandú Orsi; and Bolivia, represented by Foreign Minister Fernando Hugo Aramayo Carrasco. Delegations from Panama (Associate State) and from Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Colombia also attended.
The summit concluded without joint declaration And each leader delivered their speech individually. Argentina's speech can be noted, where the president Javier Milei He insisted that “integration must serve trade, not bureaucracy; it is necessary to correct what isn't working and strengthen what has a future, understanding that flexibility is an asset, not a threat.” Along the same lines, the President of Uruguay, Yamandu OrsiHe stressed that "the modernization of MERCOSUR, aimed at strengthening it, improving its efficiency and aligning it with the challenges of the external agenda, is not only timely, but necessary to revitalize the bloc."
Despite the absence of a joint statement on the matter, from joint statement which summarizes the actions of the semester From the official documents released, the following points can be highlighted:
Internal agenda:
- The commitment to regional integration and the international projection of MERCOSUR was reaffirmed.
- The need to improve the Common External Tariff (CET) and harmonize trade rules was emphasized, especially in the automotive and sugar and alcohol sectors.
- In tariff matters, the modernization of rules and procedures of origin was highlighted, with the Digital Certificate of Origin (COD) fully operational, and it was noted that this progress reinforces MERCOSUR's commitment to digital transformation, process simplification and strengthening regional economic integration.
- In trade facilitation and customs, they committed to modernizing the Integrated Control Areas (ACI), following the recommendations of MERCOSUR and the studies of the private sector, to expedite the transit of goods and people at the borders.
- The strategic importance of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway and the implementation of new logistics methods were emphasized. bi-oceanic corridors.
- They celebrated making progress in the energy integration and the exchange of experiences in natural gas, electricity, biofuels, renewable energies and strategic minerals.
External agenda:
- Regarding the agreement with the European Union, the leaders expressed their “disappointment" due to the non-signing of the Association Agreement MERCOSUR-EU and they trusted that the European Union would complete its internal procedures to allow the eventual signing, supported by a letter sent to the Brazilian president.
- The signing of the Free Trade Agreement was also celebrated. MERCOSUR-EFTA (European Free Trade Association), the intergovernmental organization that includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, whose formal conclusion of negotiations was achieved in August 2019.
- Progress in negotiations with United Arab Emirates, Canada, India, Japan and Indonesia.
- At the regional level, MERCOSUR continued exploratory dialogues with countries of Central America and the Caribbean, including El Salvador, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
- The negotiations between MERCOSUR and Vietnam to establish a free trade agreement were launched in a declaration, and it was reported that they are finalizing the terms of reference that will serve as the basis for the tariff preference agreement.
Falkland Islands:
The presidents of MERCOSUR, along with Bolivia and Chile, issued a Special Declaration reaffirming the Argentina's rights over the Falkland Islands and the need to reach a peaceful solution in accordance with UN resolutions. They rejected unilateral measures in the area and will support efforts at the UN to resume negotiations.
Finally, within the framework of the summit, Paraguay assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of MERCOSUR for the first half of 2026, succeeding Brazil, which held the role during the second half of 2025.
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