Carinthia demands EU partnership: Mercosur as a key to prosperity!

Carinthia demands EU partnership: Mercosur as a key to prosperity!

Kärnten, Österreich - On April 7, 2025, the President of the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce, Jürgen Mandl, calls for a fundamental reorientation of the European Union (EU) in the global economy. Mandl emphasizes that South America should become more important as an attractive business partner for Europe, especially with regard to import and export opportunities. In his opinion, he emphasizes the urgency of a determined reaction of the EU to the current economic faults caused by the Ukraine conflict and the political decisions of Donald Trump.

A central concern of Mandl is to ensure the raw material supply in Europe and the development of new export markets. He moves parallels to the trade agreement between the EU and Japan, which came into force in 2019. This agreement caused Kärntner export to Japan in 2021 by remarkable 133 % compared to the previous year, while exports to Taiwan added more than 50 %. These positive developments encourage him to see opportunities for economy, prosperity and climate protection through the Mercosur Agreement.

call to support the Mercosur Agreement

Mandl criticizes the widespread skepticism of the Mercosur Agreement and notes that it is often based on a lack of information. He is convinced that the agreement can be advantageous for both Europe and South American countries. In order to exploit the full potential of this partnership, Mandl supports the ongoing adjustments and tightening of the contingents and criteria in the current draft of the trade agreement.

In addition, he appeals to agriculture and forestry to actively support the plans of Economics Minister Hattmannsdorfer. In view of the challenges and opportunities that arise from the Mercosur Agreement, Mandl is optimistic about the future economic cooperation between Europe and South America.

For further information on the topic and the assessment of the economic framework, the report of the Bundestag must be observed, which offers comprehensive analyzes on the current situation.