EU-MERCOSUR Trade Agreement Protects the Environment: Lula da Silva
Brazilian President Lula da Silva (L) and EC President Ursula von der Leyen (R). X/ @EsquerdaLibre
December 6, 2024 Hour: 12:28 pm
‘MERCOSUR is an example of how economic development can be reconciled with environmental responsibility,’ he stated.
On Friday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that the text of the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and MERCOSUR acknowledges the “environmental credentials” of South American countries.
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He emphasized that MERCOSUR member countries invested “enormous political and diplomatic capital” in negotiating the treaty, which took nearly 25 years to finalize. Lula also defended the South American bloc’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
“We will not accept attempts to defame the recognized quality of our products. MERCOSUR is an example of how economic development can be reconciled with environmental responsibility,” he declared.
Lula’s remarks were made during the MERCOSUR summit held in Montevideo, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Presidents Luis Lacalle Pou (Uruguay), Javier Milei (Argentina), Santiago Peña (Paraguay), and Luis Arce (Bolivia).
The Brazilian leader highlighted that the final text of the EU-MERCOSUR agreement includes improvements compared to the political framework reached in 2019, which had provisions deemed “unacceptable” and required modification.
“It was necessary to incorporate topics of high relevance for MERCOSUR,” Lula said, noting that the agreement now includes extended timeframes for opening the automotive market and limits on the liberalization of government procurement in sectors such as healthcare.
With the conclusion of negotiations, Lula celebrated the prospect of creating one of the world’s largest free trade areas, encompassing a market of over 700 million people, which he said would secure new destinations for exports and strengthen investment flows.
“The global geopolitical and economic reality shows us that integration strengthens our societies, modernizes our productive structures, and promotes a more competitive presence,” Lula stated.
The Brazilian president was one of the leaders who pushed hardest to finalize the agreement, overcoming opposition from some European countries and the discouragement of certain MERCOSUR governments that had been close to abandoning the effort after decades of stalled progress.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
