Lula downplayed the importance of French opposition to the trade agreement by France.    Photo: @OrsiYamandu.

Brasilia, December 1 (RHC)-- The newly-elected president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, has met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss trade agreements derived from Mercosur that could interest the European Union (EU) and all the nations involved.

The meeting with Lula, held in Brasilia, was mainly dedicated to analyzing the situation of Mercosur and its prospects for finalizing the trade agreement with the European Union, facing the firm opposition of some members of the bloc, particularly France.

Despite this complicated scenario posed by France, Lula minimized the relevance of the French opposition to the trade agreement and was optimistic about the possibility of signing it this year.

The Brazilian president stated that "the French are not the ones who decide whether or not to sign; in any case, the person appointed by the government to do so is Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission."

It should be remembered that the negotiations for the agreement between the EU and Mercosur have lasted for more than two decades and, in the last year, they stalled due to new environmental demands from Europe.

Likewise, both the European Commission and governments such as Spain, on the one hand, and countries such as Brazil, on the other, support the signing of the treaty as soon as possible.

The agreement represents a special concern for Orsi, who on December 6 will accompany the outgoing president, Luis Lacalle Pou, to the summit of South American countries that will take place in Montevideo.

The meeting was a business-oriented visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, although the leaders preferred to call it a "conversation between friends" that served to discuss successful strategies with the European Union.