China Seeks Free Trade Deal In "America's Backyard"

[world politics news]

A proposed free-trade agreement between China and a group of South American nations, which includes Argentina and Brazil, will benefit all sides economically, but will further increase competition between Washington and Beijing in the so-called backyard of the United States, according to analysts.

New leftist Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that the proposed deal between China and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), which also includes Uruguay and Paraguay as full members, will modernise and open up the South American trade bloc to other regions.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Dutch Parliament Scuttles EU-South America Trade Deal

[world politics news]

A Free Trade Agreement between the EU and four South American countries, known as the MERCOSUR trade bloc, has been voted down by the Dutch parliament.

This not only puts the largest-ever EU trade deal at risk, it also doesn’t bode well for the upcoming Dutch vote on the ratification of the trade deal between the EU and Canada.

Under European rules all member states must vote in favor of trade deals. The Austrian Parliament has also voted against this deal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: France, Ireland Threaten To Block EU/South American Trade Deal Over Rainforest Destruction

[world politics news]

Members of the European Parliament from France and Ireland are threatening to block a trade deal between the Europe and South America's trading blocs over rampant destruction of the rainforests in Brazil.

Environmentalists accuse Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro of cutting protection to the area deemed crucial to combating climate change. The rainforests are being clear cut for farming at a record pace, say environmentalists. NASA, however, has said that overall fire activity across the Amazon basin this year has been close to the average compared to the past 15 years.

For now,E officials are defending the deal, which has taken 20 years to hammer out with the Mercosur trading bloc, because they say it ties them into honoring the Paris Agreement's environmental rules.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#VENEZUELA: South American MERCOSUR Trade Group May Expel Venezuela

[world politics news]

The coordinators of MERCOSUR - a trade association consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela - may decide as early as Aug. 23 to expel Venezuela, which joined in 2012. A meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay will discuss legal sanctions on Venezuela, which self proclaimed itself the presidency of the group on July 30, and is also allegedly not complying with over 200 rules and regulations, requirements they agreed to when they joined. Venezuela could then lose its full member status.

Pictured: The flags of MERCOSUR’s five member-states: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela.