After renewed delays in finalizing a free trade agreement between the European Union and four Mercosur countries, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called on Europeans on Saturday to show more courage and political will.
“Unfortunately, Europe has not yet made its decision. European leaders have asked for more time to take additional measures to protect agriculture,” Lula said at the Mercosur summit in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu.
He added that without political will and courage on the part of the leaders, it will not be possible to conclude the negotiations that have been ongoing for 26 years.
Lola: Meloni is ready to sign in January
Only on Wednesday, Lula issued an ultimatum to the European Union: “If we do not do it now, Brazil will not make an agreement as long as I remain president,” he said at a government meeting.
However, the Brazilian president has now backed away from this position. Lula said that he spoke by phone with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and she assured him that she would be ready to sign at the beginning of January.
“The agreement will be concluded and I hope it will be signed in the first month of Paraguay’s presidency,” he added [of Mercosur] “By my counterpart Santiago Peña,” Lula said. Peña is the President of Paraguay.
The necessary majority was not achieved in the European Union
The treaty was originally supposed to be signed at the summit to be held in Brazil on Saturday. However, Meloni recently announced that it is not yet ready to approve the planned agreement with the four countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, meaning that the EU majority required for signing will not be achieved.