The economic bloc and the North American country will hold a new round of talks until Friday (Oct 10) in an attempt to unlock an agreement
Mercosur and Canada intensified negotiations this Thursday (9.Oct.2025) in an attempt to unlock a free trade agreement. The meeting will continue on Friday (Oct 10) and seeks to update understandings between representatives of the economic bloc and the North American country.
Chief negotiators and technical teams from the 4 founding states of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and Canada meet to take stock of the negotiations and review progress, pending issues and priorities in the different thematic and institutional chapters of the agreement. The government of president (PT) participates in conversations through the Foreign Trade Secretariat of the Mdic (Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services).
The themes include:
- access to markets; rules of origin;
- trade facilitation;
- technical barriers;
- sanitary and phytosanitary measures;
- services and investments;
- government purchases; intellectual property and the environment;
- competition;
- micro and small businesses;
- work, commerce and gender and indigenous peoples.
Lula’s government reinforces that the dialogue is taking place after the visit of the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, to Brazil, in August. On the occasion, the representative of the Canadian government met with the vice-president and minister of Industry and Commerce (PSB).
“The new dialogue reflects Mercosur’s commitment to seeking modern, balanced and mutually beneficial agreements — like those recently concluded with Singapore, the European Union and EFTA [bloco formado por Noruega, Suíça, Islândia e Liechtenstein]. These results have served as a reference for updating negotiated commitments, reinforcing the bloc’s role as a relevant actor in international trade”declared the Secretariat of Foreign Trade.
ALTERNATIVE TO THE USA
The dialogue takes place while the Brazilian government seeks alternative markets to the United States to sell products at tariff rates. On August 6, an additional 40% tariff came into effect. Goods such as fish, fruit, shoes and meat were surcharged by 50%.
From September 10th to 12th, the Ministries of Industry and Foreign Affairs held a business mission in Toronto (Canada), in an attempt to expand trade with Canadians.
According to Mdic data, Brazilian exports to Canada totaled US$6.3 billion in 2024. Aluminum, steel, machinery, aircraft, equipment and coffee are among the main exported items.
