The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed his criticism of the additional protocol introduced by the Europeans in the agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), which provides for sanctions in the event of non-compliance with environmental obligations. During the visit of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Brasilia, Lula shared his concerns about this additional instrument and pointed out that the premise between strategic partners should be mutual trust rather than distrust and sanctions.
The agreement between the EU and Mercosur was signed in 2019, but some countries refused to ratify it until the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro committed to taking environmental measures, especially in the control of deforestation. The EU proposed an additional protocol that establishes changes to the chapter on trade and sustainable development, including environmental obligations and sanctions in case of non-compliance.
Brazil argues that this protocol hinders the development of the agro-industrial sector for reasons that go beyond environmental preservation. According to Lula, the EU has approved laws with extraterritorial effects that alter the balance of the agreement and could represent restrictions on Brazil’s agricultural and industrial exports.
The European representative expressed her desire to conclude the agreement as soon as possible, highlighting the advantages for both parties and the shared fight against climate change. Von der Leyen praised Lula’s environmental policy and announced that the EU will support the Amazon Fund with 20 million euros, an initiative to protect the Amazon rainforest.
Von der Leyen’s visit to Brazil is part of his tour of Latin America, which includes Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. During the tour, the aim is to establish partners to help the EU reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, especially from Russia. In addition, this visit is aimed at preparing for the upcoming summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), to be held in Brussels in July.