Chief negotiators from the EU and the Mercosur countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay will continue discussions on Friday (2 February) after top officials meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (30 January) "moved forward" in trade talks between the two blocs. 

"We are in the end game with Mercosur countries," Jyrki Katainen, EU Commission vice president said on Wednesday. "Yesterday things moved forward, and [we] expect Mercosur countries to come back and give their view on how to finalise the negotiations," he told reporters after trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem and agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan briefed fellow commissioners on the state of play of negotiations.