(Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday that a trade deal between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur could not be adopted on the basis of the latest proposal made by Brussels, seeing it as a “threat” to Brazil.
The Brazilian leader was referring to the addendum added to the agreement by the European Union which attaches commitments to sustainable development and the fight against climate change and introduces penalties for nations that do not meet climate targets. described in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
“I am available to reach an agreement (on Mercosur), but with this additional letter from the EU it is not possible,” Lula said at an event in Paris, where the Summit is taking place. a new global financial pact.
“This letter poses a threat to a strategic partner (Brazil),” he added.
Lula also said the United Nations must regain its political strength and criticized the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which he said are failing to meet people’s expectations.
“The United Nations must become representative again, have political strength”, he said, “we cannot let the institutions work in the wrong way”.
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Patricia Rua; Writing by David Latona; French version Victor Goury-Laffont)
Copyright © 2023 Thomson Reuters