Swiss House Approves Mercosur Deal
Switzerland's lower house approved the Mercosur trade agreement after adding 517 million francs in aid for farmers. The trade accord now faces a likely public referendum.
Switzerland's lower house of parliament approved a trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur, voting 118 to 66 in favor during Wednesday afternoon. The decision follows upper house approval days earlier, completing legislative clearance for the trade pact. Lawmakers secured passage by attaching a financial support package worth 517 million Swiss francs ($631 million) over six years to cushion domestic farmers.
Agriculture remains a politically sensitive sector in Switzerland, leaving the trade accord vulnerable to a public referendum under the nation's direct democracy system. The pact pairs members of the European Free Trade Association with Mercosur nations Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
