With weeks to go before the start of new Mercosur-EU talks on creating a free trade zone, the two sides clashed as they met in the Argentine capital to advance cooperation in mining trade. Officials said the clash occurred as ministers from Mercosur — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — pointed out potential obstacles to trade created by new EU regulations on mining imports. The European Parliament is debating regulations that aim to phase out all cyanide content in mining products and raw materials to protect European water resources and biodiversity. Mercosur delegates argued current mining processes in South America made that unattainable and the new rules would potentially block South American exports to Europe.
See http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/06/17/Mercosur-unhappy-with-EU-mining-rules-on-cyanide-content/UPI-33351276811506/.