President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said this Monday (17th) that the rapprochement between the European Union (EU), Mercosur and Caribbean countries will be fundamental to deal with “ great challenges of our time”. According to the leader of the European commission, these challenges became more evident after the pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine and, in particular, the increasingly evident realization of how “monumental” the challenge regarding climate change is. Meeting had not taken place for eight years. “That’s why I welcome and salute Brazil’s resurgence as a major player on the global stage. This comes at a good time and already has a good positive impact on the strategic partnership between our two regions”, said the President of the European Commission. Approximation During the meeting with Ursula, the Brazilian president said he hoped to conclude an agreement between the blocs still in 2023. The European leader highlighted that the approximation between the blocs will help Europe to diversify its supply chains. The European Union’s concern is to reduce its dependence on Russia and China. “We want to work hand in hand with you to deal with the great challenges of our time. We want to discuss how to connect our people and companies more; reduce risks; how to strengthen and diversify supply chains; and how to modernize our economies in a way that reduces inequalities and benefits everyone. All this is possible if we manage to conclude the EU-Mercosur agreement. Our ambition is to resolve any existing differences as soon as possible”, said the President of the European Commission. Lula arrived in Brussels, Belgium, on Sunday (16th) to participate, on Monday and Tuesday (17th and 18th), in the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and the European Union. The meeting brings together around 60 foreign leaders from the countries that make up the blocs. During the meeting with Ursula, the Brazilian president recalled that the European Union is Brazil’s second largest trading partner, and that trade between the country and the bloc could exceed, in 2023, the mark of US$ 100 billion. Balanced agreement “A balanced agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, which we intend to conclude later this year, will open new horizons. We want an agreement that preserves the ability of the parties to respond to present and future challenges,” said Lula. The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has also expressed the expectation that the blocs will conclude a trade agreement in the second half of 2023. Lula explained that the growth of South American and Caribbean countries will only occur if it is thought in a sustainable and regional way integrated. He recalled that at the last meeting of South American leaders, in May, an update of the project portfolio of the South American Infrastructure and Planning Council was proposed, reinforcing multimodality and prioritizing high-impact projects for physical and digital integration. “By building the bioceanic corridor, which connects the center-west of Brazil to the ports of northern Chile, we reduce the cost of our exports to Asian markets and generate jobs and income in the interior of our continent”, said the president. Government purchases According to Lula, government purchases are a “vital instrument for articulating investments in infrastructure and sustaining our industrial policy”, he added, recalling that both the United States (USA) and the European Union “have taken the lead and have already adopted ambitious industrial policies based on public purchases and national content”. The Brazilian president highlighted the role that companies, universities and civil society play in relations between the countries, and that the meetings that begin today – the 3rd CELAC-European Union Summit and the European Union-Latin America Business Forum – confirm that “our entrepreneurs are fully engaged in relaunching this historic alliance, based on the certainty that the success of the other is fundamental to our common success”. “The covid-19 pandemic, in addition to claiming millions of lives, has disorganized the productive system in the four corners of the planet. Climate change highlights the urgency of preserving biodiversity and ecosystems. And the war in the heart of Europe throws the mantle of uncertainty over the world and channels resources that were essential for the economy and social programs to war purposes, ”he added. Investment Plan Lula added that Brazil will shortly launch a new Investment Plan that will enable the country to generate jobs, combat poverty and increase family income. According to him, this plan provides for the resumption of paralyzed undertakings and the acceleration of those in progress and the selection of new projects. “We will promote the modernization of our logistics infrastructure, with investments in highways, railways, waterways, ports and airports”, said the president, remembering that the country, in addition to having one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world, will prioritize the generation of renewable energies and hold “enormous potential” for the production of green hydrogen. He reiterated the government’s commitment to controlling inflation and balancing public accounts, and that the country’s international reserves are “around US$ 343 billion”.
Agência Brasil
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