Heads of State and Government of the European Union are meeting today in Brussels with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) for a two-day summit.
It is also possible to discuss the planned free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. “Our position has not changed,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) reiterated in the run-up to Austria’s rejection of the trade agreement.
Even within the European Union, there are still “intensive discussions going on,” Nehammer said in Brussels. The agreement has been on hold since the conclusion of negotiations in 2019.
Brussels is looking for a middle ground
It has yet to be ratified by all member states, but some countries want to protect their markets, while others fear it will weaken labor or environmental standards. Recently, doubts have been growing about the agreement also planned in South America.
The EU Commission is trying to dismantle hardline fronts. “We don’t even know the proposed amendments yet, and we will see how developments go after that, but the Austrian position is clear,” Nehammer emphasized.
Nehammer: “special status” in Austria
He referred to the “special situation” in Austria, where there was a “parliamentary resolution against Mercosur.” Meanwhile, regarding cooperation in the raw materials sector with Chile, Nehammer stressed the importance of “forming partnerships”.
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