Lula receives Von der Leyen to celebrate EU-Mercosur agreement

The President seeks to highlight Brazil’s leading role in concluding the negotiations, while delegating formal representation in Paraguay to Chancellor Mauro Vieira on Saturday.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva receives this Friday afternoon (16/01), at the Itamaraty Palace, in Rio de Janeiro, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to celebrate the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU). The president of the European Council, António Costa, was also invited, but his presence had not yet been confirmed.

According to Palácio do Planalto, they should discuss topics on the international agenda and the next steps of the agreement, which will be signed this Saturday, in Asunción, Paraguay. Despite his central role in the negotiations, Lula will be the only Mercosur president who will not be present at the ceremony. Aides from the Palácio do Planalto justify their absence by Paraguay’s last-minute decision to elevate the event to presidential level.

Brazilian representation, therefore, will be in charge of Chancellor Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The presidents of Paraguay and Uruguay, Santiago Peña and Yamandú Orsi, respectively, confirmed their presence. Argentine Javier Milei, with whom Lula has a distant relationship, is also expected at Saturday’s event.

This Friday’s meeting is considered by the Brazilian government to be the most symbolic moment in the final stretch of negotiations, as it allows Lula to consolidate his image as the main articulator of the progress of the treaty after more than two decades of diplomatic impasses. Interlocutors say that it is Lula’s opportunity to be photographed alone alongside Von der Layen and, also, avoid a platform next to Milei.

Lula in the protagonist role

Lula took a leading role in negotiations with the European Union and sought to gather internal and external support to overcome historical resistance, especially that raised by European agricultural and livestock sectors, which continue to be mobilized against the treaty.

In December 2025, during the Mercosur summit in Foz do Iguaçu, Lula attempted to conclude the agreement before handing over the rotating presidency of the bloc to Paraguay. Without consensus among European countries, the agreement came a month later, despite resistance from some members, such as France and sectors that criticize possible impacts on agricultural competition and the climate.

After more than 25 years of negotiations, the agreement will create one of the largest free trade zones in the world, involving markets that represent around 30% of global GDP and more than 720 million inhabitants.

Originally published by DW on 01/16/2026