
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rang European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday to congratulate her on sending the Free Trade Agreement between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) to the European Parliament for a vote.

The European Commission has validated the free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin confirmed on Wednesday, calling it “excellent news” for his country.

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi will travel in October to Rome, Madrid, and Brussels for an official tour that will include meetings with Pope Leo XIV, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and King Felipe VI.

Despite some alignment on climate issues, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's state visit to Paris on Thursday was marked by tensions over trade, Ukraine, and Gaza. Lula urged French President Emmanuel Macron to support the Mercosur-EU trade agreement, emphasizing it as a response to rising protectionism. French farmers called on Macron on Wednesday to reiterate their “firm” rejection.

A Brazilian expert foresees that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) will represent a 5.1% increase in commerce with the bloc that is already South America's largest country's second-largest partner, behind China, Agencia Brasil reported. These projections would mean a 0.34% rise in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the sum of goods and services produced in the country.

The South American Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union announced Friday in Montevideo the final signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both blocs, thus creating the largest and most populated commerce zone worldwide. The understanding was reached after 25 years of negotiations and despite France's reluctance.

Momentum is building up in Montevideo as the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seems to herald the imminent signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) as Brussels needs to halt China's commercial expansion in the region while Donald Trump's return to the White House looms over.

The Southern Common Market (Mercosur) hopes to clinch the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) during the two-day regional bloc's Summit starting Thursday in Montevideo with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the main guest.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Uruguay's President-elect Yamandú Orsi on Friday at the Planalto Palace to discuss the possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) as well as other issues.

France's Parliament was unusually united this week in rejecting the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), thus yielding to protests from local farmers who fear unfair competition. The Senate gave its thumbs down Thursday, just one day after the Lower House did the same by 484 votes against 70.