Mercosu discusses proposed response to the EU prepared by Brazil

The Brazilian government and the other members of Mercosur (Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) are discussing a rejoinder to the new demands made by the European Union to close the economic agreement. As found by People’s Gazette According to Itamaraty sources, the document prepared by the Civil House and other ministries has already been forwarded to the other members of the bloc.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed that the Brazilian government, which occupies the rotating presidency of the South American bloc, reached a proposal for a rejoinder last week. The document, however, was awaiting approval from Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to be sent to other countries. This authorization would have been given last Friday (14).

During the CELAC-European Union Summit, taking place this Monday and Tuesday in the Belgian capital, Brussels, the Mercosur foreign ministers met with the European Union Trade Commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis. As the report also found out, the new document was possibly discussed among the leaders.

Mercosur-European Union Agreement

The free trade agreement between the two blocs has been negotiated for about 20 years and was finalized in 2019, still under the management of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Discussions, however, have been stalled since the European bloc made a series of new environmental demands for the agreement to be endorsed. The new impositions did not please the South American countries. Current president of Mercosur, Lula called the new requirements a “threat” and “unacceptable”.

nicknamed side letter, European terms were sent to Mercosur earlier this year. As the new proposal did not please the countries of the bloc, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay were responsible for drawing up a new document for negotiation that took into account the challenges of the EU.