EFTA and MERCOSUR hold 13th round of free trade negotiations

Building on the technical work carried out in the 12th round and in online meetings held earlier in 2025, delegations made further progress on the remaining issues. Topics discussed included trade in goods, rules of origin, trade in services, investment, trade and sustainable development, intellectual property and government procurement. The EFTA and MERCOSUR States reaffirmed their commitment to completing the necessary work and finalising the agreement in the coming months.

Roger Gschwend, Head of the World Trade Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, acted as the EFTA spokesperson, while Rodrigo Bardoneschi, Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship in Argentina, headed the MERCOSUR delegation.

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Economic relations between the EFTA and MERCOSUR States

In 2024, the EFTA States exported goods worth more than EUR 5 261 million to MERCOSUR. Primary exports included pharmaceutical products, organic chemicals, machinery and mechanical appliances. EFTA’s imports from MERCOSUR amounted to approximately EUR 3 072 million and were mainly composed of inorganic chemicals; coffee, tea, maté and spices; waste from food industries, animal feed; aluminium and articles thereof; and meat.

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See photos from the meeting