Brazilian Leader Challenges European Counterparts
At the Mercosur summit held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed the ongoing delay in concluding the trade pact between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc. He emphasized the need for greater determination from European officials.
"Unfortunately, Europe has not yet decided. The European leaders have asked for more time for additional measures to protect agriculture," Lula stated during the meeting.
Decades of Negotiations at Stake
The Brazilian president highlighted that without sufficient political will and courage from leadership, it would be impossible to wrap up discussions that have spanned 26 years. Earlier in the week, Lula had issued a strong warning to the EU, saying, "If we don't do it now, Brazil will not make a deal as long as I am president."
However, he later moderated his stance after a conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to Lula, Meloni indicated readiness to sign the agreement at the start of January.
"The agreement will be concluded, and I hope that it might be signed in the first month of the Paraguayan presidency [of Mercosur] by my counterpart Santiago Peña," Lula remarked, referring to Paraguay's president.
EU Majority Requirement Unmet
The treaty was initially scheduled for signing during the Saturday summit in Brazil. Yet, Meloni's recent announcement that she was not prepared to endorse the planned deal with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay meant the necessary EU majority for approval could not be achieved.
