Mercosur and Canada set to announce trade talks

 The member countries of Mercosur and Canada plan to announce on March 9 the opening of talks for a potential free-trade deal. Both sides are in a hurry: they are already scheduled to meet on March 19 for the first round of negotiations. Brazilian officials believe talks can quickly attain a far-reaching and balanced agreement because of the lack of incompatibility between the trade interests of both sides. Ottawa has signaled it can liberalize government procurement, a $250 billion market. The National Confederation of Industry (CNI), meanwhile, has mapped opportunities in such Canadian markets as machines, chemicals, food, metal products, cars, tires, and tobacco.

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