Uruguay: President Tabaré Vázquez visits the European Commission

On 18 September 2007, the President of Uruguay and current "pro tempore" President of Mercosur, Tabaré Vázquez Rosas would visit the European Commission in Brussels as part of his European tour. President Vásquez would meet with the President of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso and the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

The meeting would focus on EU-Mercosur relations and the negotiations on an Association Agreement between the two regions, European cooperation with Uruguay in areas such as research and economic development, digital TV and multilateral topics such as the current state of play on the Doha Round negotiations.

President Vázquez would be accompanied by the Minister for External Relations, Reinaldo Gargano, the Minister for Economic Affairs, Danilo Astori, the Minister for Defence, Azucena Berruti and the Minister for Transport, Víctor Rossi. During the visit, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner and Minister Gargano would sign the Memorandum of Understanding on EU-Uruguay cooperation for the period 2007-2013, which will have a budget of €31 million.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Relations between Uruguay and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/relations-between-uruguay-and-the-european-union/

European Commission: DG Trade: Policy: Countries and regions: Mercosur http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/mercosur/

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