Brazil ratifies Mercosur free‑trade agreements with EFTA and Singapore

Brazil completed the ratification of Mercosur’s free‑trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Singapore, depositing the instruments on 30 June in Paraguay. The deals, effective 1 August, grant preferential market access to more than 280 million consumers in the European block and zero tariffs for virtually all Brazilian exports to Singapore, opening quotas for agricultural products such as meat, corn, honey and vegetable oils. In 2025 trade with the EFTA bloc reached $7.8 billion, while commerce with Singapore totaled $10.7 billion, driven by fuels, machinery and meat products.

At the same time, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul travelled to Paraguay and Argentina to accelerate the implementation of the EU‑Mercosur trade pact. He met Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Chilean President José Antonio Kast and discussed raw‑material supplies, security and infrastructure. The German delegation highlighted the agreement’s importance for Germany’s access to critical minerals, while environmental NGOs and indigenous groups warned of deforestation risks and urged protection of indigenous territories. The visit coincided with ongoing debates over the EU‑Mercosur deal’s environmental and agricultural impacts.