BRUSSELS

The European Union is looking forward to strengthening ties with South American countries as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to visit the region.

Von der Leyen will visit Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico throughout the week.

She is expected to discuss the current situation of the South American trade bloc Mercosur, as well as the update of the free trade agreement.

The EU-Mercosur negotiations on a free trade agreement started in 2000 and went through on and off phases.

The parties agreed on a comprehensive agreement covering issues such as tariffs, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade and intellectual property, among others.

EU and Mercosur were planning to reduce high tariffs on agricultural products, and Mercosur countries would easily sell products such as meat, chicken, and sugar to the EU.

The agreement, however, was never signed nor ratified, and never entered into force.

The ecologists opposed the agreement, arguing that it was not compatible with the European Green Deal.

The EU Commission achieved updating the negotiations in 2020 with Mexico, after a four-year work, but the updated version has not yet entered into force.

EU eyes closer cooperation with Chile to reduce its dependence on China.

* Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara