Von der Leyen defends before Lula to close the Mercosur agreement before the end of the year

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, defended against the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, closing the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur before the end of the year and thus concluding a pact that has been going on for decades. being negotiated and that an annex is pending to strengthen environmental guarantees, particularly deforestation.

“We both think that it is time to conclude the agreement between the EU and Mercosur. We have the ambition to do it as soon as possible, no later than the end of the year,” said the head of the European Executive in a statement from Brasilia, where she has started the tour that will take him to four Latin American countries this week.

In this sense, she urged that Brussels awaits the response of the countries of the Southern Cone for the instrument on environmental aspects. “It is our way of opening ourselves up to hear that it can be improved, in such a way that by the end of the year we can conclude the agreement,” she indicated.

Von der Leyen defended that there will be “great advantages” for both parties, such as that it will generate a greater flow of investments and will have a positive impact on the competitiveness of the Brazilian industry and job creation.

“We share the vision in the fight against climate change and in labor rights, our commitment will be reflected in the agreement. It is more than a trade agreement: it is a long-term contact and a platform for dialogue,” she stressed.

For his part, the Brazilian president expressed Brazil’s concern with the instrument presented by Brussels, recalling that it proposes sanctions against the country in case of non-compliance in environmental matters. “The premise that must guide the strategic association must be mutual trust and not mistrust and sanctions.”

Source: dpa

(Reference image source: Unsplash+)

Visit our news channel on Google News and follow us to get accurate, interesting information and stay up to date with everything. You can also see our daily content on Twitter and Instagram