EU awaits a possible “political announcement” on the agreement with Mercosur in July

“Pretty optimistic” on the understanding between two blocs that seek “the right roadmap”the president of the Committee on International Trade of the European Parliament, Bernd Langehope there may be a “political ad” about the agreement between the European Union (EU) and the mercosur in July.

Passing through Montevideo at the head of the European delegation that traveled to Brazil and Uruguay to discuss trade and investment relations with the countries of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), Lange expresses his “hope” about what “a political ad may be possible” during the Summit with CELAC in Brussels.

“My hope is that, although the text may not be fully ready, a political announcement may be possible by the end of the Summit (with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) that will take place on July 17 and 18 in Brussels” , points out who says they are “convinced” that a positive result will be found to the agreement “coming soon”.

The additional protocol

Although it was signed in 2019, the agreement, which the German Social Democrat (S&D, DE) seeks to be careful not to name as a Free Trade Agreement, because, it says, “That’s from the old system” and this is “modern” and “based on sustainability”has not been ratified since then due to the European drive to add one more chapter.

However, according to Lange, along with the negotiations towards that additional protocol, which, he says, “Gives a readjustment for the implementation of the agreement”arose “many problems”.

“We had a government in Brazil that obviously made it clear that it was not complying with its obligations but that it violated many of them, for example through illegal logging and fires in the Amazon, that is why we stopped, and then in these four years (. ..) we had the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian aggression against Ukraine”indicates.

To which it alleges that it is useful “reflect” about these events and turning their lessons into the protocol, for Lange the change of government in Brazil, where in January Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva succeeded the far-right Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), is key to returning the agreement to its course, although For now, it may require patience.

“Like any new government (Lula’s) has a new team, new ministers, there are 75 ministries that have to coordinate and so on, therefore I hope that this machinery is working and we will see how far we can go (to close the additional protocol )”point.

The summit and uncertainty

Looking ahead to the EU-CELAC Summit, a forum that will bring together European, Latin American and Caribbean leaders to strengthen regional ties, for the European parliamentarian there are many topics to address in a global situation that, rightly so, “not satisfactory” because there “a lot of fragmentation.”

Who met in Uruguay with the vice president, Beatriz Argimón, as well as with the foreign minister, Francisco Bustillo, and delegations from unions or civil society, among other actors, said he was grateful for the country’s position, which supported the United Nations condemnation of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

However, he believes that it is necessary to discuss “How to act together between the EU and Latin American countries” to stop the war.

“We have other items (to be discussed) that have to do with compliance with the Paris Agreement, both politically and financially. Also economic relations. There are many elements with which we can stabilize this insecurity and uncertainty of the globalized world in which we live”remark.

a positive direction

To which he emphasizes that the Washington Consensus model “in which everyone plays according to the same rules and agrees” is no longer there and “protectionist measures that use commercial investment as a weapon” emerge. The German believes that we must bet on a global model “more open”.

“It is very important to stabilize economic development based on a fair partnership between reliable partners”Lange points out.

In that line, it says to be “quite optimistic” about what “together” Mercosur and the EU can “go in a positive direction”Well, he points out, they had interests and priorities “different” but in it they share the same goal and they only need to find “the right roadmap”.

“Having the experience of the coronavirus pandemic, where supply chains were disrupted, around the world there were more than 150 export restrictions and other measures were implemented, we will see what lesson we can draw”round.

Source: EFE