President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will meet this Friday (16), in Rio de Janeiro, with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, António Costa. According to Palácio do Planalto, they should discuss topics on the international agenda and the next steps of the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Unionapproved by Europeans last week.
The meeting, which will take place at Palácio Itamaraty, in the center of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, is scheduled for 1 pm and will be followed by a joint statement to the press.
The trade agreement will create a free trade zone of 720 million inhabitants and will add a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$22 trillionaccording to information from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Development, Industry, Commerce and Services. A ratification ceremony between the two blocs is scheduled for this Saturday (17), in Asunción, capital of Paraguay, with the presence of European leaders and Mercosur foreign affairs ministers.
