Lula strives to advance negotiations between Mercosur and EU

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the advancements in Mercosur-European Union agreement negotiations during a telephone conversation on Monday afternoon (Nov. 20).

The Planalto presidential palace reported that the discussion, spanning approximately half an hour, focused on the concluding aspects of the agreement between the two blocs. “Both leaders have committed to closely overseeing negotiators’ progress in the upcoming days, with plans to reconvene next week during COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates,” stated the press office.

The agreement’s finalization was a recent topic of discussion in talks between Lula and Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the European bloc.

The Brazilian government’s tenure as the head of Mercosur concludes on December 7, just three days prior to the inauguration of Argentina’s President-elect Javier Milei. At the start of his political campaign, Milei advocated for Argentina’s departure from the economic bloc, but later adjusted his stance, supporting instead reforms within Mercosur, which also comprises Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Approved in 2019 after 20 years of negotiations, the Mercosur-EU agreement requires ratification by the parliaments of all members of the two blocs to enter into force. The negotiation encompasses 31 countries.