The European Commission and leaders of the southern American Mercosur * trade bloc this week signalled their desire to gather a comprehensive bilateral trade deal--including trade in agricultural goods--by October of nearest year.

The European Commission and leaders of the southern American Mercosur * trade bloc this week signalled their desire to gather a comprehensive bilateral trade deal--including trade in agricultural goods--by October of nearest year.

A detailed work programme has been elaborated which will involve renewed talks forward the hitherto stalled EU-Mercosur farm trade negotiations as early as the first week of December.

In all, a series of five meetings of the so-called Biregional Negotiating