The installation schedule of Mercosul’s Parliament, which had its creation approved by Brazilian National Congress, will be discussed in a meeting of Mercosul Joint Parliamentary Committee (CPCM) director’s board. This meeting is expected to take place during the first week of October in Montevideo.  Items such as the new body’s location, which will have the Uruguayan capital as headquarters, and a draft for inner rules to be adopted, will be discussed.

The plan is using this meeting as a preparation, so that parliament’s inaugural session may be held on November 5th, the day XVI Iberoamerican Summit finishes. The summit will gather 20 heads of State and government from Latin American countries, and also from Portugal and Spain.

Mercosul’s Parliament creation was approved by parliaments of both Brazil and Paraguay. But the decision by Congresses of Argentina and Uruguay remain unknown. Constitutive protocol of the Parliament was accepted by Argentine Senate and now waits for the de decision of the House of Deputies-which may happen until the end of the month. As to Uruguay, Brazilian parliamentary officers were unofficially told that this decision might be made in the beginning of October.

When the committee suggested that the inaugural session might coincide with the Iberoamerican Summit, during a meeting held in Cordoba, it tried to give a political push to the economic bloc. Thus, many heads of State and government could testify the first steps of the new parliament.

Yet, the inaugural session – even if it occurs as expected in the beginning of November – will happen in a moment of political adjustment of the Mercosul. On the on hand, the bloc extended further North, with the adhesion of Venezuela. On the other, it faces tough criticism from the two smaller members, Uruguay and Paraguay, which announced the intention to sign free trade agreements with the United States.