The National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC) celebrated the conclusion of the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU), evaluating that it will lead to the strengthening of commercial relations and generate new “economic opportunities and the consolidation of ties historical and cultural between the blocks”. 
THE agreement, signed this Friday (6)establishes one of the largest areas of economic integration in the world, covering a market of more than 750 million consumers, with a share of 17% of the global economy and 30% of world exports of goods.
The president of the CNC-Sesc-Senac System, José Roberto Tadros, said that the entity supports initiatives that promote the competitiveness of the Brazilian productive sector, promoting sustainability and innovation. According to Tadros, the CNC had an active participation in the negotiations, defending the interests of the Brazilian goods, services and tourism trade sector.
“The agreement reflects the commitment to sustainable development, promoting practices that reconcile economic growth and environmental preservation, essential to guarantee a promising future for future generations,” he said. “This agreement opens new horizons for our companies, promoting greater competitiveness, access to global markets and business opportunities for the goods, services and tourism sectors”, he concluded.
ApexBrasil
The Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) also assesses that, with the liberalization of trade between Mercosur and the EU, European markets can regain their importance in the Brazilian export agenda.
Despite the EU being Brazil’s second largest trading partner, with trade worth more than R$90 billion in 2023. ApexBrasil market intelligence data, between 2003 and 2023, shows that the bloc’s share of the country’s exports fell from 23% to 13.6%. According to the agency, this is the result of increased trade with East Asia, particularly with China, the country’s main trading partner.
The president of ApexBrasil, Jorge Viana. Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil – Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil
According to the president of Apex, Jorge Viana, the agreement revives the importance of this bilateral trade and is an opportunity for diversification and adding value to Brazilian exported products.
“The agreement between Mercosur and the European Union involves 25% of the global economy and 780 million people. It is a strategic agreement, to which President Lula contributed decisively, from the launch of negotiations in his first government to his active presidential diplomacy in this term, having visited leaders of Mercosur and the European Union. Thanks to this effort, Brazil will be able to take advantage of more than 1,800 short-term opportunities for the block that ApexBrasil has mapped, highlighting a wide range of products, such as coffee, corn, orange juice, natural honey, airplanes, shoes, wooden furniture, among many others”, said Viana.
CNI
THE industry also expressed regarding the agreement. For the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), the initiative is beneficial for the diversification of Brazilian industry exports, strengthening Brazil’s competitiveness at a global level, with the expansion of the base of commercial partners.
This Friday, the heads of state of Mercosur and the EU representative, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that a free trade agreement had been signed to reduce export tariffs between the countries that make up these markets. Negotiations had been dragging on for 25 years.
The agreement was announced in a press interview in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the 65th Mercosur Heads of State Summit is taking place.
Although negotiations have ended, the agreement still needs to be signed. The negotiated texts will undergo legal review and will be translated into the countries’ official languages. Next, the agreement needs to be approved internally in each of the nations. There is no deadline for completing this process.
