EU Commission says Mercosur trade deal a priority as it seeks new allies

FILE PHOTO: European flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

MADRID/Brussels (Reuters) -The European Commission said that concluding the Mercosur-EU agreement is a priority, adding that Latin America and Europe should work on reducing "excessive dependency" on third countries, according to a document seen by Reuters on Monday.

Brussels is launching a political and economic offensive on Latin America to secure priority access to the region's resources - especially raw materials - identifying the region as a potential close ally in the face of "increasing geopolitical challenges", mainly the product of the Ukraine invasion by Russia.