MERCOSUR member states (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) met with representatives
of the CARICOM in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on 16 December 2004 at the XXVII ordinary MERCOSUR Common Market Council meeting with
the objective to deepen their political and economic dialogue. Ministers proposed a work program to be initiated in the first
semester of 2005 with a view to launch negotiations towards a free trade agreement.
An initial meeting was held, at the Ministerial level, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. At this meeting, the countries
expressed their intention to sign a trade agreement before the end of 2005.