EU-Mercosur Pact: Austria's Balancing Act between Trade Opportunities and Sustainability

PeopleOther ♦ Published: September 19, 2023; 23:20 ♦ (Vindobona)

The discussion about the free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay - is entering a new round. While some see the treaty as an opportunity to intensify trade between the two economic areas, others raise serious concerns about its impact on the environment and social standards.

The EU and the Mercosur zone are seeking increased cooperation, but Austria is against it: experts and activists are calling for the end of the agreement, while Austrian industry and trade see opportunities. / Picture: © Attac Austria / Elisabeth Blum / Flickr Attribution (CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

Negotiations for an association agreement between the EU and Mercosur, the economic alliance consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, have been ongoing since 2000, Vindobona.org reported. Environmental and social concerns, in particular, have…