Panel discussion on the EU-Mercosur Agreement

After 25 years of negotiations, the EU-Mercosur Agreement is set to be provisionally applied on May 1. Just two weeks ahead of this milestone, the panel discussion organised by the LMU Latin America Network at Amerikahaus Munich captured both optimism and caution.

The event brought together experts from academia and business:

Prof. Dr Lisandra Flach, Director of the ifo Center for International Economics and Professor of Economics, LMU Munich

Prof. Dr Johannes Glückler, Chair for Economic Geographies of the Future and Head of the Economic Geography Group, LMU Munich

Mari-Lizette Malherbe, Munich Re, Member of the Board of Management responsible for Life & Health

Dr Bettina Rudloff, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)

Isabella Timm-Guri, Bavarian Farmers’ Association, Director of the Production and Marketing Division

Moderated by Prof. Dr Benjamin Loy, Professor of Romance Philology/Latin America Network, LMU Munich

The discussion centred on the interplay between different perspectives and viewpoints:

• Business emphasised opportunities around market access, planning certainty, and risk management. Particularly at a time of global uncertainty, the agreement could send an important signal in favour of open markets, whilst also securing access to critical inputs and strengthening export opportunities.
• Agriculture raised concerns regarding competitive pressure and production standards, emphasising that European agriculture could be subject to price pressure without clear regulations.
• Academia highlighted the long-term benefits of trade and economic integration. In this context, knowledge exchange, technological cooperation and mutual learning could strengthen both regions.
• Civil society focused on sustainability, inclusion, and broader societal impacts.

A recurring theme was the geopolitical cost of inaction. Against the backdrop of China’s growing influence in Latin America, the agreement serves as an important demonstration of Europe’s capacity to act.

Beyond the benefits, the debate acknowledged both the asymmetries and the potential complementarities of an agreement aimed at sustainable growth and deeper global integration for Latin America.

What stood out in this discussion was not consensus, but the quality of the dialogue. It highlighted how modern trade policy sits at the intersection of economic geography, geopolitics, sustainability, and societal impacts and why cross-sector conversations are more important than ever.

The high attendance at the event in Munich underscored the value of engaging a broader audience and demonstrated a clear and growing interest in EU–Latin American relations.