By Lisandra Paraguassu

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated on Wednesday he hoped a alternate deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc may more than seemingly per chance per chance be finalized by the end of this yr, at the same time as it faced opposition, primarily from France.

“We can accumulate it performed,” Lula suggested an event hosted by industry group CNI in Brasilia, shrugging off French opposition.

The deal changed into being negotiated straight with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he stated.

“Von der Leyen has the mandate to accumulate this agreement, and I intend to designate it this yr,” Lula stated.

Mercosur joins Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia in a market that may more than seemingly per chance be a sought-after destination for EU manufacturing exporters, though European farmers, especially in France, hassle the competition this will seemingly more than seemingly per chance raise.

A deal between the EU and Mercosur has been within the works for some 25 years. The parties had announced an agreement in 2019, but it absolutely changed into never formally ratified on account of EU demands for commitments on Amazonian deforestation and local climate alternate.

European negotiators arrived in Brazil on Tuesday for a brand contemporary round of talks earlier than a Mercosur summit in Uruguay’s capital Montevideo subsequent week. A supply familiar with the topic stated there changed into “perfect will” from both parties to clinch an agreement.

Despite the opposition from France and Poland, other EU countries such as Germany and Spain desire the deal.

Argentina, whose President Javier Milei has stated within the past that the South American overall market served no cause, on Wednesday also voiced crimson meat up for the deal.

“We crimson meat up alternate agreements, whether the one you consult with or every other that can earnings Argentines,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni suggested a press convention when requested in regards to the Mercosur-EU deal.

Both Milei and Lula met with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month in South America.

Macron reiterated France’s opposition to a deal on account of concerns over agricultural imports that attain not meet European requirements and stated Milei had expressed dissatisfaction to him with the present phrases of the alternate accord.