The Presidents of the MERCOSUR States Parties—Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for the Federative Republic of Brazil; Javier Gerardo Milei, for the Argentine Republic; Santiago Peña Palacios, for the Republic of Paraguay; and Yamandú Orsi, for the Oriental Republic of Uruguay—and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando Hugo Aramayo Carrasco, for the Plurinational State of Bolivia, participated in the 67th MERCOSUR Presidents’ Summit, held on December 20, 2025, in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
Meeting this morning, the Presidents held a constructive and cordial dialogue on the current situation of MERCOSUR and its future prospects.
They welcomed the presence of the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, an Associate State of MERCOSUR.
They celebrated the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the MERCOSUR States Parties held on September 16 in Rio de Janeiro, and the ordinary meeting of the Common Market Council held on December 19, on which occasion the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening regional integration and expanding MERCOSUR’s international presence.
They welcomed with satisfaction the work carried out during this semester, which consolidates the role of an open MERCOSUR as an instrument for development, prosperity, and competitive integration into the global economy. They expressed confidence that the efforts of this semester consolidate a virtuous cycle of expansion of MERCOSUR’s external relations. They highlighted the countries’ commitment to the continuous improvement of MERCOSUR.
They reaffirmed the importance and the need to continue the process of reviewing and adjusting the Common External Tariff, emphasizing the analysis of its consistency and dispersion.
They highlighted the importance of continuing the work of the Automotive Committee, with a view to harmonizing the bloc’s trade rules related to the sector and incorporating it into MERCOSUR, in order to promote a more integrated and efficient regional automotive market that favors balanced investment attraction, taking into account national realities and the different stages of development of the automotive sector of the States Parties.
They welcomed the completion of the Terms of Reference for conducting the study aimed at diagnosing the sugar-ethanol sector in MERCOSUR, with the objective of identifying potential, alternatives, and opportunities to strengthen regional production chains, with a view to increasing competitiveness and facilitating access to international markets.
They highlighted the progress achieved on regulatory matters, representing important developments in strategic areas aimed at regional integration, regulatory modernization, and technical harmonization within MERCOSUR. Among other results, they underscored progress in discussions on the Labeling of Packaged Foods and Nutritional Labeling of Packaged Foods. They welcomed the initiation of technical debates aimed at harmonizing front-of-pack nutritional labeling at the regional level.
They acknowledged the progress made within the Ad Hoc Group on Regulatory Issues, especially in the ongoing process of drafting the MERCOSUR Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Guide, aimed at contributing to the improvement and efficiency of regulatory processes, as well as strengthening regional integration and transparency within MERCOSUR.
They celebrated the deepening of joint initiatives to promote the creation of a regional natural gas market and the work toward regulatory and operational harmonization for natural gas commercialization, as well as the exchange of experiences in the areas of electricity interconnection, biofuels, renewable energy, and strategic minerals. They also recalled that the transition toward low-carbon energy matrices constitutes a strategic opportunity to increase energy security and expand access to energy, as well as to boost investments, partnerships, and technological innovation in the region.
They agreed on the importance of advancing the integration of biofuels markets and promoting discussions on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), with a view to regulatory convergence and coordinated action in international forums.
They highlighted progress achieved in the area of government procurement, particularly the reactivation, during this semester, of the Working Subgroup on Public Procurement within MERCOSUR, the body responsible for implementing the MERCOSUR Public Procurement Protocol.
They recognized the importance of intellectual property rights for productive development, technological innovation, and the integration of the industrial, trade, cultural, and scientific policies of the States Parties. They highlighted the progress achieved throughout this year by the Ad Hoc Group on Intellectual Property, and the need to consolidate a permanent governance structure on intellectual property within MERCOSUR, enabling policy coordination, information exchange, and coordination of positions in regional and multilateral forums, without prejudice to the autonomy of the States Parties to define such public policies and positions in accordance with their national realities and development objectives.
They highlighted the importance of the digital economy for the future of the bloc’s integration and instructed the relevant MERCOSUR bodies to deepen discussions on the regional data market.
They reaffirmed the strategic nature of the digital agenda, recognizing that technological autonomy and the security of critical infrastructures are central elements for sustainable and inclusive development within MERCOSUR.
They highlighted the importance of collaboration among the competent authorities of the States Parties regarding personal data protection and privacy in the digital environment.
They emphasized the importance of continuing to modernize rules and procedures of origin within MERCOSUR and highlighted that the Digital Certificate of Origin (DCO) is now fully operational for all preferential trade among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, constituting a fundamental tool to facilitate intra-bloc trade. They noted that this progress reinforces MERCOSUR’s commitment to digital transformation, simplification of procedures, and strengthening regional economic integration.
They valued the priority given to greater promotion of the participation of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the common market, with the conclusion of the 2025–2030 roadmap of the Ad Hoc Group on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises, which includes various initiatives in areas such as the business environment, exchange of best practices for regional MSMEs, access to markets, regional productive integration, and access to financing.
They emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination of strategic actions in science, technology, and innovation, with the aim of overcoming common challenges faced by the region, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence, data science, bioeconomy, energy, vaccine development, and epidemiological surveillance in health; and reinforced the importance of MERCOSUR countries having an integrated platform for access to and use of research infrastructures, researchers, and scientific production, in order to facilitate, expand, and deepen scientific-technological cooperation and links with the region’s productive sector.
They reiterated the importance of advancing coordination and complementarity of national regulations aimed at facilitating border integration. In this context, they took note of progress in incorporating into domestic legal systems the MERCOSUR Agreement on Linked Border Localities.
They committed to advancing the modernization of Integrated Control Areas, in line with recommendations from the relevant MERCOSUR forums and studies requested from the private sector, with the aim of streamlining and facilitating border transit for commercial operators, as well as the movement of people.
They considered it essential to explore the opening of new logistics modalities through increased cargo mobilization via intermodal alternatives and the development of bioceanic corridors, in order to attract investments, strengthen territorial integration, and generate new trade flows.
In this context, they highlighted the strategic importance of the Paraguay–Paraná Waterway as an axis of regional connectivity, and reaffirmed their commitment to the full and regular functioning of the bodies created by the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Agreement, in order to ensure safe navigation throughout its length, enable more efficient transport of the States Parties’ production, and provide competitive access to international markets.
They highlighted the strategic importance of Border Health for regional integration, underscoring that true integration materializes in border areas, where the geographic boundary becomes a space for cooperation, coordination, and effective access to essential services, as well as the definition of the strategic guidelines of the MERCOSUR Border Health Plan.
They considered progress in measures to strengthen and expand regional production of medicines and other health technologies, the intensification of joint vaccination campaigns, advances of the arbovirus observatory in the region, and the consolidation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Digital Health and Health-Related Technologies.
They reiterated that the MERCOSUR Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM) has been an instrument of great relevance in promoting structural convergence and developing competitiveness, particularly for the smaller economies and less developed regions of the MERCOSUR States Parties, enabling them to fully benefit from market expansion and contributing to the strengthening of the integration process. They instructed the competent MERCOSUR bodies to advance ongoing work to ensure the continuity of FOCEM.
They highlighted progress achieved within the Ad Hoc Group on Trade and Sustainable Development (GAHCDS), particularly in the negotiation of the document “Principles on Trade and Sustainable Development of MERCOSUR,” which will consolidate shared understandings and reaffirm the bloc’s commitment to sustainable development and to predictable and transparent trade rules.
They took note of the “Green MERCOSUR” initiative presented by the Brazilian Pro Tempore Presidency, aimed at increasing the visibility of sustainability policies of the countries’ production.
They celebrated the holding of the First Edition of the MERCOSUR Agricultural Business Forum, an initiative arising from the importance of MERCOSUR’s participation in international agribusiness trade and the resulting relevance of the sector for the bloc’s economic integration.
In this context, they took note of the points presented in the Joint Declaration of the Forum, resulting from the debates held, with recommendations to the bloc’s governments for the adoption of measures aimed at: (i) eliminating barriers to trade and production, especially EU deforestation legislation (EUDR); (ii) greater integration of defense services, simplification and reduction of protocols, and digitalization of processes to reduce costs for producers; and (iii) expanding and diversifying the list of agricultural products exported by MERCOSUR, with special attention to expanding the network of MERCOSUR trade agreements.
They reaffirmed the firm commitment of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay to collaborate with the Government of Bolivia in the implementation process of the Protocol of Accession of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to MERCOSUR (PAB), as well as to guarantee its participation based on the principle of reciprocity of rights and obligations. They also ratified their decision to advance the work of the Group for the Accession of New States Parties (GANEP), as established in the PAB.
They reaffirmed their intention to advance commercial integration processes with Central American and Caribbean countries, continuing negotiations between MERCOSUR and El Salvador for the signing of a Free Trade Agreement, and exploratory dialogues with Panama and the Dominican Republic.
They highlighted favorable circumstances to initiate a process of updating the disciplines governing trade relations between MERCOSUR and Ecuador, with a view to a broader, deeper, and more modern agreement.
They welcomed the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a historic framework that opens new trade and investment opportunities for the bloc.
They expressed their disappointment over the non-signing of the MERCOSUR–European Union Association Agreement, scheduled for this occasion, due to the lack of political consensus on the Agreement within European Union institutions. They underscored that the text of the Agreement is the result of a carefully achieved balance after 26 years of negotiations and that its signing would send a positive signal to the world in the current international context, strengthening integration between both blocs.
They expressed confidence that the European Union will complete its internal procedures enabling it to sign the Agreement, so that the rotating Pro Tempore Presidency and the States Parties may eventually set a possible date for its signing.
They highlighted progress made during the semester in negotiations of the MERCOSUR–United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, including in-person rounds. They reaffirmed the priority given to this negotiating front and their intention to conclude a balanced, modern, and mutually beneficial agreement.
They welcomed the resumption of negotiations with Canada, reaffirming the commitment to seek a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement. They also highlighted the resumption of negotiations to deepen the MERCOSUR–India Preferential Trade Agreement, with a view to expanding tariff coverage and bilateral trade flows; and the reactivation of negotiations with Vietnam and Indonesia, reflecting the States Parties’ commitment to strengthening ties with fast-growing emerging economies, seeking to establish agreements that expand the geographic and commercial reach of MERCOSUR partnerships.
They recorded progress in negotiations with Japan, with a view to defining the terms of a strategic partnership aimed at deepening trade relations between MERCOSUR and that country.
They expressed interest in continuing exploratory dialogues with other trade partners with potential to increase the bloc’s integration into the international economy.
They reaffirmed MERCOSUR’s commitment to multilateralism, to trade based on transparent rules, and to projecting MERCOSUR as a relevant, modern global actor committed to the shared prosperity of its peoples.
They welcomed the work carried out over the last semester and thanked the Brazilian government for its efforts during its term as MERCOSUR’s Pro Tempore Presidency.
