The Draghi Report's ambitions force Europe to confront uncomfortable realities: it is falling significantly behind global competitors. The analysis argues that the ‘race’ has been underway for years and that closing the gap requires urgent, active policy choices — including structural reforms, targeted investment and a renewed focus on competitiveness across the single market.

Portugal faces a mixed outcome from the EU–Mercosur trade agreement. Export-oriented sectors such as wine, olive oil and cheese see expanded market access to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as growth opportunities, while domestic meat and rice producers fear increased competition, downward price pressure and quota-driven market disruption. The deal thus creates winners and losers within Portugal’s agricultural and food industries, highlighting the need for safeguards, support measures and sectoral adaptation strategies.

Update: The trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur is due to be signed this Saturday. The impending signature has intensified debate in Portugal: wine, olive oil and cheese sectors are positioning to capture growth in the four South American markets, while meat and rice producers renew warnings about heightened competition, downward price pressure and quota effects. Stakeholders are pressing for concrete safeguards, transitional support and clear implementation timetables to mitigate adjustment costs and protect sensitive domestic producers.

After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union and Mercosur have signed a comprehensive trade agreement in Paraguay that aims to create the world’s largest free-trade area, covering more than 700 million consumers. The deal opens markets for European exports — including vehicles, machinery, wines, spirits, olive oil and cheese — and is welcomed by business groups such as Portugal’s CIP and the Portuguese government as a major opportunity for economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic. Implementation and regulatory alignment will be crucial for the agreement to deliver its projected benefits and reshape transatlantic trade flows.

Update: The signing ceremony took place in Asunción, Paraguay; EU leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa attended, while Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not attend and was represented by his foreign minister, Mauro Vieira. Portuguese media note the pact covers more than 700 million consumers and highlights Portuguese exporters (wines, olive oil, cheese) as well placed to gain access — but national ratification and regulatory alignment are still required before trade changes take effect.

Update 2: Multiple outlets report the formal signatories included Mercosur members such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and the EU delegation included the European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič. Ursula von der Leyen framed the pact as a choice for “fair trade rather than tariffs.” The agreement still requires national ratification and technical regulatory alignment before market changes apply.

The European Commission president will sign the EU–Mercosur trade agreement on Saturday, 17 January, the EU confirmed. The deal is expected to lower trade barriers between the EU and South American Mercosur countries; coverage focuses on the formal signature rather than implementation details. For expats in Portugal, the immediate effect will be minimal day-to-day, but the agreement could influence prices, imports and export opportunities over time.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to New Delhi at the end of January for the EU–India summit with the explicit aim of finalising a long‑sought EU–India trade agreement. Having concluded the Mercosur talks, von der Leyen says the Commission is working intensively to wrap up negotiations, a move with significant economic and geopolitical implications for EU trade policy and relations with India.

Julien Jarjoura, an investor based in Switzerland, has acquired Claire’s European business, preserving roughly 200 jobs in Portugal and maintaining the brand’s retail footprint across Europe. The purchase effectively separates the continental operation from insolvency proceedings affecting Claire’s in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, stabilising local employment and stores while broader group restructuring and creditor processes continue.