Austrian Foreign Minister Beatrix Meinl-Reisinger called for building bridges for cooperation and views the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) countries as a great opportunity for Austria and Europe. Meinl-Reisinger expressed her support for the freedom of global trade and urged Austria's ruling coalition to approve the 'Mercosur' agreement, which establishes the world's largest free trade zone, encompassing about 700 million people. She also warned of the consequences of the failure of the free trade agreement between the European Union and South America, which still requires the approval of the EU Council and the European Parliament.
