This Wednesday, the National Coordinators of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay before the Mercosur Common Market group sent the National Coordinator of Uruguay a warning note about the signing of future trade agreements with China.
“Given the actions of the Uruguayan Government with a view to the individual negotiation of trade agreements with a tariff dimension and taking into account the possible presentation, by the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of a request for adhesion to the Comprehensive and Progressive Treaty of Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) ), the National Coordinators of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay before the Mercosur Common Market Group kindly inform the National Coordination of Uruguay that the three countries reserve the right to adopt any measures they deem necessary to defend their interests in the fields legal and commercial”, reads the text.
In other words, they threatened the administration of Luis Lacalle Pou, the Uruguayan president, with taking action against that country if they go ahead with their intention to sign free trade agreements outside of Mercosur without the bloc’s consensus.
The note was sent just when the Uruguayan government is expected to announce that country’s accession to the so-called Trans-Pacific Agreement, which seeks to lower trade barriers and tariffs, and establish a common intellectual property framework, this Thursday the 1st. And it also occurs before the increasing steps that Uruguayans take to sign a free trade agreement with China, reads part of the article in El Clarín called; “Strong fight in Mercosur: Argentina closed ranks with Brazil and Paraguay and they threaten Uruguay with legal actions.”
