Negotiations to finalize the historic free trade agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Union are progressing towards a decisive date: the December 20This was announced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in his role as head of the pro tempore presidency of the bloc, during a press conference in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, as reported this Sunday (23.11.2025) by the main Brazilian news agencies.
The president stated: “I don’t intend to travel anymore this year, except to Brasilia or Foz do Iguaçu to sign the Mercosur–European Union agreement, which I believe will be signed on December 20th.”, ruling out new international tours until the end of 2025.
President Lula also underscored the magnitude of the agreement, noting that it involves “an agreement that involves virtually 722 million inhabitants and 22 trillion in GDP”and that could become “the world’s largest trade agreement”.
If the date is confirmed, the signature will not match the MERCOSUR Summit of Heads of State which will take place in Foz do Iguaçu, under Brazilian leadership. After 25 years of negotiations, the agreement is nearing its finalization, paving the way for the creation of one of the world's largest free trade areas and marking a turning point for bi-regional integration.
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