Lula to Meet EU Leaders Before Mercosur–EU Signing, Coordinates Venezuela Response With Putin

Overview

• Lula will host Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa in Rio on Friday to discuss next steps before the Mercosur–EU treaty is signed at ministerial level on Saturday in Asunción, where Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will represent Brazil.
• EU institutions have cleared the partnership after roughly 26 years of negotiations, setting up phased tariff cuts over as long as 15 years that would eventually eliminate duties on about 90% of trade between the blocs.
• The agreement is split into an Interim Trade Agreement that can take effect provisionally after European Parliament approval and a broader partnership that requires ratification by all EU and Mercosur member states.
• French farmer unions staged tractor blockades in Paris and lawmakers filed two censure motions against the government over the deal, reflecting persistent political resistance even after a Council green light.
• Lula spoke with Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to coordinate implementation and, in a separate call today with Vladimir Putin, agreed to work through the UN and BRICS to lower tensions over the Venezuela crisis.