Lula attends CELAC-EU summit following invitation

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil and current President of Mercosur, has accepted an invitation to participate in the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU) in Brussels at the end of July.

The invitation was extended by Pedro Sánchez, the President of the Government of Spain and the EU.

Lula will join the opening of the Summit’s Business Forum alongside Sánchez and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

Lula’s participation in the CELAC-EU Summit comes at a time when the Brazilian government is seeking to modify certain requirements imposed by the European bloc for the approval of the Free Trade Agreement with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

During the 62nd Summit of Heads of State of Mercosur and Associated States in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, Lula reiterated his commitment to concluding the free trade agreement.

However, he expressed his opposition to the additional instrument presented by the EU in March, stating that it is “unacceptable” and emphasizing the need for a balanced treaty to implement public policies supporting productive integration and reindustrialization.

The EU’s proposed additions to the agreement include provisions for imposing fines in cases of non-compliance with environmental obligations.

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