The European Union will on Saturday sign a deal 25 years in the making with the South American trade bloc Mercosur, creating one of the world's largest free trade areas at a time of growing protectionism and volatility. The long-awaited agreement comes amid the sweeping use of tariffs and trade threats by US President Donald Trump's administration, which has sent countries scrambling for new partnerships.
Upon arrival in Mumbai, Starmer told the trade mission delegates that the deal "provides huge opportunities," adding that he had asked his team to implement the deal as "quickly as humanly possible." "Our job is to make it easier for you to seize the opportunities," Starmer encouraged the businessmen. "On the plane home, I want each of you to tell me what you got out of this trip a deal, a contact."
The meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in September aims to address U.S. tariffs and the upcoming review of the free trade deal.
