Mercosur Begins Trade Negotiations With Vietnam

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Mercosur, led by Argentina, initiated its first in-person round of trade negotiations with Vietnam to pursue a preferential trade agreement. Simultaneously, Uruguay pursued a separate, faster track to obtain sanitary authorization for its beef exports to the nation of 100 million people. Vietnam currently represents Argentina’s sixth-largest export market with approximately US$4 billion in annual trade. The negotiations aimed to reduce tariffs and address non-tariff barriers, with technical teams continuing work toward a World Trade Organization-compatible agreement.

Consequences

Uruguay expects to secure sanitary approval for its beef exports to Vietnam by the end of 2026, ahead of any potential bloc-wide commercial tariff reductions. This development serves as a diversification strategy for Uruguay, which seeks to reduce its export reliance on current top-tier markets like China.

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