German businesspeople call for swift implementation of EU-Mercosur deal

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Euro-South American free trade agreement began to be negotiated almost 24 years ago. With an eye on the new Lula government, the business community sees the 39th Brazil-Germany Meeting, in Belo Horizonte, as a chance for implementation. The flags of Brazil and Mercosur in front of the Planalto Palace in Brasilia Eraldo Peres/AP German industrialists defended a quick implementation of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay), on the eve of the 39th Brazil-Germany Economic Meeting, in Belo Horizonte. See also: Marina Silva says she will help unlock trade agreement between Mercosur and European Union Mercosur-European Union Agreement: Lula will receive German Chancellor; Macron prepares visit to Brazil “The importance of Brazil to Germany should also be reflected in the trade figures; the country should be on the list of the 20 most important trading partners; a great advance towards greater cooperation would be the rapid entry into force of the agreement EU-Mercosur,” said Siegfried Russwurm, president of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), quoted by the EFE news agency. The meeting in Minas Gerais, this Monday and Tuesday (13-14/03), takes place almost 24 years after the start of negotiations for the trade agreement between the two economic blocs. According to the German businessman, this demonstrates that “more pragmatism is needed in EU trade policy”. Russwurm underlined the importance of “not missing the opportunity” to implement with the South American bloc “one of the most important projects” on the bilateral trade agenda, which “would avoid 85% of taxes on European exports to the region and, thus, several billion euros in corporate tax every year”. Betting on Lula’s government The EU-Mercosur agreement sets “high standards in terms of protecting the environment and workers’ rights, and guarantees all countries the possibility of effectively applying the Paris Agreement on climate change”, assured Siegfried Russwurm. In addition, it would contain a separate chapter on sustainability, with standards on biodiversity, sustainable forest management and the fight against illegal logging. Recently, the German Minister of Economy and Climate, Robert Habeck, said he hoped that the 39th meeting would bring progress in relation to Mercosur, especially considering the change of government in Brazil, with the election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The head of the portfolio said he believed that negotiations for ratification of the agreement could be provisionally concluded as early as 2023. Habeck represents the German side at the bilateral meeting in the capital of Minas Gerais, the side of his colleague Cem Özdemir, from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The business delegation headed by them will also visit the capital of Colombia, Bogotá. Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are members of Mercosur (Venezuela has been suspended since December 1, 2016), while Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname are observer states. av (Lusa, EFE)

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