Beyond tariffs: how Switzerland turned trade talks into climate action with Mercosur 

The Mercosur trade agreement recently signed by Switzerland includes commitments on environmental impact. These come on the back of increasing public scrutiny of free trade deals. After eight years of talks, the deal between Mercosur and the EFTA countries was finalised this month. It eliminates tariffs on industrial products, food, and agricultural goods, including Swiss chocolate, while quietly imposing a geopolitical shift: Switzerland led the push for an environmental protocol to link the agreement to climate commitments, responding to growing pressure by consumers for socio-environmental responsibility. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is made up of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland; Mercosur is a regional union of five South American states – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Bolivia joined Mercosur only after the start of the trade talks and was thus not involved in negotiations. Switzerland’s negotiation of the environmental ...