And now a Conservative party leadership election to replace the outgoing prime minister, Theresa May, is in full swing. The real global trading power, of course, is the EU, which has recently concluded trade deals with Japan, South Korea and Canada. The proposed trade deal doesn’t lack opponents, including some non-governmental organisations and EU member states with substantial beef industries. All told, an EU-Mercosur trade agreement – which would be one of the largest trade deals in the world, affecting 750 million people – represents a win-win, creating opportunities for growth and jobs on both sides. • Guy Verhofstadt is chief Brexit representative for the European parliament and a former prime minister of Belgium© Project Syndicate

Source: The Guardian June 27, 2019 14:12 UTC