The European Commission, through its 27 commissioners, has now formally “put forward its proposals to the Council for the signature and conclusion of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA)”.
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has for a long time advocated for the finalization of both these agreements, making today’s news very positive and long-awaited. The agreement with Mercosur, which forms a free trade market consisting of approximately 700 million people, is strategically very important at a time when protectionist trends are gaining more ground globally. If the agreement is approved by the Council and subsequently also by the European Parliament, trade between the regions will be simplified, which will greatly benefit Swedish companies. It would also send a signal that the EU remains a predictable partner that favors open markets in an otherwise geopolitically unstable world.
The processes for both agreements are now entering into a new phase, and with positive outcomes in the two legislative bodies, they can hopefully come into effect around the turn of the year. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise will continue our work to push for the agreements to be approved and come into effect as soon as possible.
In connection with the decision, our European umbrella organization BusinessEurope is publishing a campaign and brochure on the theme of Mercosur, including voices from Swedish companies such as Christian Levin at Scania and Mats Svensson at ProTech AB.
Free trade