EU Commission chief talks with Brazil’s president about stalled trade deal

By CARLA BRIDI
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — European Comission President Ursula von der Leyen has met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a bid to get a free trade deal moving again. The 27-member EU completed negotiations in 2019 on a wide-ranging trade deal with the Mercosur nations of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, but it has yet to be ratified by any of the individual countries. Ratification stalled over EU concerns about the enviornmental policies of Lula’s predecessor and a European desire to protect its local farmers from cheaper imports from Mercosur. And since Lula took office in January, the Brazilians have raised questions about the trade deal, worrying it could hurt Brazil.