Mercosur Nations Face Impasse Over Division of EU Meat Export Quotas
Mercosur countries are currently at an impasse regarding the allocation of preferential meat export quotas negotiated under the free trade agreement with the European Union. The agreement grants expanded access to the European market for various meats, including poultry, pork, and beef, from the South American bloc. Specifically, it includes an annual quota of 180,000 tonnes for chicken meat with zero tariff, 99,000 tonnes for beef with a 7.5% tariff, and 25,000 tonnes for pork. The disagreement centers on the criteria for distributing these volumes among Mercosur members. Paraguay advocates for an equal division, with each of the four members receiving 25% of the quotas, aiming to reduce disparities and increase its market share. Conversely, Brazil and Argentina argue that an equal split would not reflect each country's production and export capacity, proposing that distribution should consider the economic weight and existing export volumes of each nation in the relevant sectors.
