"The agreements with Mercosur and Mexico are of the utmost importance right now. They must therefore be approved quickly by the EU member states and the European Parliament so that they can enter into force this year.

The Mercosur agreement is a central pillar when it comes to mutually creating prosperity, growth and jobs, helping to jointly combat climate change and promoting the diversification that has been repeatedly called for by politicians.

The significance of the agreement for the German and European automotive industry lies, among other things, in the reduction of Mercosur's currently relatively high tariffs of 14 to 18% on automotive parts and even 35% on passenger cars. At the same time, the EU's tariff reductions will open up new opportunities for exporters in Mercosur and strengthen the economy there.

The agreement with Mexico is a modernization of the existing free trade agreement, which has also been negotiated and expected for a long time.

In general, Germany and the EU must be strong advocates for free and fair global trade. Especially now, in a time of rising protectionism, it is important to use the momentum to forge global alliances for open markets and rules-based trade. The EU is called upon to act much more quickly and pragmatically in this regard in the future than was the case, particularly with the EU-Mercosur agreement."