Canada and Mercosur are intensifying trade negotiations, aiming for a significant agreement by the end of 2026.

Anita Anand, the Canadian Minister of Defence, announced that Canada and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) will intensify free trade negotiations, aiming to conclude a significant trade agreement as soon as possible, ideally before the end of 2026.

This statement was made after a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, in Sao Paulo. In the context of a tariff offensive from the United States, negotiations have resumed after several years of stalemate, and so far, six rounds of negotiations have taken place, with notable progress.

However, Anand acknowledged that an agreement with Mercosur raises concerns within the Canadian agricultural sector, similar to the protests from European farmers who opposed the recently signed agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.