08.01.2026 – „For the German economy, the Council's approval of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement is of particular importance. The adoption of this agreement is the litmus test of whether Europe can still act as a sovereign entity in foreign trade – or whether it has actually turned into a pawn of other geostrategic competitors. After numerous renegotiations and delays in this economically important rulebook, our credibility as a reliable trading partner is now at stake.

Therefore, the German government must make the agreement a top priority and persuade the other member states to support it. Especially in light of the current economic crisis in Germany, the benefits of the agreement for a wide range of businesses must be given high priority: The agreement offers new sales prospects for the industry and adjacent service providers and trade; it secures supply chains for energy and other vital raw materials from South America better. Because our competitors from the USA, and especially China, do not hesitate; they act decisively, especially regarding important raw material supplies.

Currently, around 85 percent of European exports to Mercosur countries are subject to tariffs. This causes considerable additional costs in bilateral trade of around four billion euros annually. Overall, 12,500 German companies export to the region, of which 72 percent are small and medium-sized enterprises. For more than 100 years, German companies – supported by the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry – have been active in South America. They have been waiting for this important breakthrough for a long time.”