According to a statement issued by the Association, EDA calls on EU and Mercosur leaders to swiftly conclude trade negotiations regarding the remaining open points.

In short, there is no time to waste. Implementing the EU-Mercosur agreement will boost the integration of our economies and help diversify our value chains for both imports and exports.

This is crucial for the competitiveness of our export-oriented sectors, which create tens of millions of jobs in Europe and provide an essential contribution to the prosperity and living standards of European citizens.

It also helps promote the EU's open strategic autonomy in times of growing concerns about economic security, by partnering with countries that share similar views. The agreement provides Europe with a unique and timely opportunity to capitalize on its first-mover advantage to collaborate with one of the world's largest economies.

An agreement helps significantly reduce both high tariff barriers and non-tariff barriers, which negatively affect European companies' chances of competing in the relatively closed Mercosur market, with over 270 million consumers.

It is important to recognize the huge opportunities offered by the agreement, which will contribute to maintaining a strong industrial structure in the EU, including in rural areas, and thus protect the jobs and well-being of millions of European citizens.

Given that the EU does not have substantial reserves of key raw materials needed for the green and digital transition and that a substantial proportion of global growth is expected to come from outside the EU in the next decade, our industries need open export markets to sell European goods and services and acquire raw materials at competitive prices.

Therefore, the agreement is an economic, social, and geopolitical imperative. Committed to free, fair, and sustainable trade, we understand the need to protect the unique ecosystems in the Mercosur region.

We believe that the EU-Mercosur agreement provides a very strong incentive and the right tools for collaboration to maintain the region's sustainable development commitments, including stopping illegal deforestation.

Therefore, we urge European leaders to act now and conclude and ratify the EU-Mercosur agreement without further delay.