At the 67th MERCOSUR Summit held in Brazil on the evening of December 20 (Vietnam time), member states of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, issued a Joint Statement officially launching negotiations for the Vietnam-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The information was released by the Department of Foreign Market Development under Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The summit was attended by the Presidents of the MERCOSUR member states: President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, President Santiago Peña of Paraguay, and President Yamandú Orsi of Uruguay.
Immediately following the opening remarks by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira announced that MERCOSUR and Vietnam would officially begin PTA negotiations in the near future. He reaffirmed that Vietnam is a key economic partner for the MERCOSUR bloc.
This future agreement marks a significant milestone in promoting trade between Vietnam and MERCOSUR, contributing to the strengthening of ties between Vietnam and the South American region.
The MoIT viewed this as a successful outcome of sustained efforts from all parties to push for a trade deal. The negotiations will focus on tariff reductions to bring practical benefits to all participating members.
Previously, in September 2025, the MoIT and the negotiating delegations from MERCOSUR countries held several productive meetings to finalize the direction, approach, and roadmap for the upcoming negotiations. Currently, both sides are finalizing the Terms of Reference (ToR) to serve as the foundation for the first round of negotiations, expected to take place in early 2026.
A representative from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that announcing the launch of the PTA negotiations during Brazil's rotating presidency reflects the South American nation's appreciation for the traditional friendship between the two countries and the joint efforts of their respective leaders.
According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, as of the end of November 2025, total trade turnover between Vietnam and the MERCOSUR bloc reached $11.46 billion, approximately equal to the same period in 2024.
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