Paraguay seeks equal 25% share of Mercosur-EU export quotas

Paraguay is advocating for an equitable 25% distribution of export quotas established under the Mercosur-European Union Association Agreement. Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano has met with various productive sector guilds, including the Rural Association of Paraguay (ARP) and the Paraguayan Chamber of Cereal and Oilseed Exporters (Capeco), to discuss the administration of these quotas.

Currently, Mercosur member states have not reached a consensus on the distribution methodology. Paraguay maintains that each of the four member nations should receive an equal share, a position supported by the country's private sector. If a consensus is not reached by October, the current “first-come, first-served” mechanism will remain in place until 2027.

Industry representatives argue that an equal split is necessary to prevent the reproduction of existing economic asymmetries within the bloc. A successful negotiation could benefit several Paraguayan sectors, including poultry, rice, sugar, and meat, potentially incentivizing new investments.