Lula claims ‘dispute’ in government purchases in the

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), questioned again this Wednesday (12/07) the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, which will be discussed during his visit to Brussels next week.

The statement was given during a ceremony on the Day of Science and Researcher, held at the Planalto Palace, in Brasília.

“We do not give up government purchases, which will be the possibility of developing medium and small entrepreneurs in this country, so we are going to have a dispute”, stated Lula about one of the impasse points for the conclusion of the agreement.

The initial document, from 2019, allows European companies to participate in national government tenders in Mercosur, and vice versa.

Despite criticism of government purchases and the document recently presented by the EU on sanctions for deforestation, Lula expressed his desire to close the pact between the blocs by the end of the year, during Brazil’s presidency in Mercosur.

The official should meet with European authorities next Monday (17/07), in Brussels, during the summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

“I am traveling to Brussels on Saturday. We will have a meeting between Latin America and the EU, which is extremely important, as it could be the pillar to build the long-awaited agreement between Mercosur and the EU, something that has been sought for decades,” he said.