Mercosur summit opens with criticism of EU trade deal
Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Jun 30, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-06-30-2200
The 68th Mercosur heads of state summit has opened in Paraguay, where President Santiago Peña criticized the proposed EU free trade agreement, citing "asymmetries" within Mercosur.
The 68th Mercosur heads of state summit has commenced in Paraguay, where President Santiago Peña voiced strong criticism regarding the proposed free trade agreement with the European Union. Peña highlighted what he described as "asymmetries" within Mercosur that he believes are induced by the EU deal. He questioned the value of negotiating with Europe if the resulting access to new markets does not serve to develop the less-developed member states within the bloc.
Sources: Le Monde