Speech by Foreign Minister Wadephul in the German Bundestag on the EU Partnership Agreement with the four Mercosur states

There’s virtually nothing we enjoy hearing more than news of promising prospects for the German economy and increasing trade volumes. So let me say this: thank goodness we have Mercosur, because this free trade agreement provides exactly that kind of pleasing news. We’re talking here about one of the world’s largest free trade zones, with more than 715 million people.  The trade pillar has been applied provisionally for just over 150 days now, and it has brought very tangible simplifications for our businesses. We are seeing tariffs falling. We are finding better access to public procurement and service markets in Latin America. Esteemed colleagues, Mercosur is having an impact.  Take Brazil, for example. In August 2026, EU exports to Brazil rose by almost 12% compared to last year. In the other direction, exports from Brazil to the European Union have risen by more than 46%! So we can see very clearly how dynamic these new partnerships are.  We are hearing from enthusiastic German businesses who now want to make use of the simplified access to critical raw materials. Things like rare earths from Brazil or copper from Argentina. This is diversificat...