President Javier Milei will travel next Saturday to Asunción, Paraguay, to participate in the signing ceremony of the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, a long-negotiated treaty that had been stalled since its initial announcement in 2019 and which now enters its decisive stage. The confirmation of the presidential trip came after the European Council formally authorized, on January 9, the European Union to proceed with the signing of the agreement, overcoming the political and environmental objections that had blocked its implementation for years. For the Government, this represents a substantial improvement in access to one of the world's most relevant markets. Quirno also emphasized that the treaty will allow Argentina and the other Mercosur countries to gain preferential access to the world's third-largest economy, integrated by some 450 million consumers and responsible for nearly 15% of the world's gross product. The ceremony in Asunción will mark a turning point for the South American bloc and for the international strategy of the Argentine government. For the libertarian administration, the agreement constitutes a central piece of its economic and global insertion program. In this sense, the Government interprets the signing as an international validation of the economic course adopted since December 2023. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno was one of the main spokespeople for the ruling party to highlight the scope of the agreement. The bet is clear: to position Argentina as an actor willing to compete, integrate, and grow on the global stage, with the Mercosur-European Union agreement as one of the pillars of that strategy. Former President Mauricio Macri, who had pushed for the treaty during his administration, celebrated the signing and considered that an 'unbeatable' stage is opening for the region in terms of economic integration and commercial predictability. At the regional level, it will be necessary for the Mercosur countries to formally issue their opinion on the treaty, while in the European sphere it must receive the approval of the community institutions and, in some cases, of the national parliaments. In Argentina, the Government anticipated that it will wait for the bloc's definition before proceeding with the sending of the agreement to Congress. The expectation in libertarian ranks is high. Meanwhile, from the libertarian ruling party, they emphasize that the current political context made it possible to unblock a process that had been paralyzed for years. Despite the signing planned in Asunción, the agreement will still have to go through a key ratification stage. In the Casa Rosada (the Presidential Palace), they maintain that the treaty will allow a significant expansion of Argentine exports, attract foreign investment, and consolidate a framework of predictable rules for foreign trade. According to the explanation, the European Union will eliminate tariffs for 92% of Argentine exports and grant preferential access for another 7.5%, which will mean that 99% of Mercosur's agricultural exports will be covered by tariff benefits. In Balcarce 50 (the Presidential Palace), they consider that the personal participation of Milei in the signing reinforces the president's international profile and consolidates his narrative of breaking with the model of protectionism and restrictions that, according to the ruling party, limited the country's growth for decades. In the official view, this opening will strengthen key sectors such as agribusiness, energy, mining, and certain branches of the manufacturing industry with export potential. The agreement also revived internal political definitions. Buenos Aires / Asunción, January 13, 2026 - Total News Agency - TNA - President Javier Milei will travel next Saturday to Asunción, Paraguay, to participate in the signing ceremony of the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, a long-negotiated treaty that had been stalled since its initial announcement in 2019 and which now enters its decisive stage. The confirmation of the presidential trip came after the European Council formally authorized, on January 9, the European Union to proceed with the signing of the agreement, overcoming the political and environmental objections that had blocked its implementation for years.
