Lula and EU create mechanism to resolve trade impasses

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, agreed this Tuesday to the creation of a bilateral mechanism to identify difficulties in trade in products of animal origin and the steel industry, said a statement from the Brazilian government.

Lula and the president of the European Commission spoke on the sidelines of the G7 summit, which is being held in France.

"They dealt with issues on the bilateral agenda, in particular the restriction measures on Brazilian products recently adopted by the European side. They defined a bilateral mechanism between Itamaraty and Commission officials, with a view to identifying difficulties, both in the area of products of animal origin and in steel products", states the note about the meeting, which was also attended by the President of the European Council, António Costa.

"They committed to seeking solutions that address European concerns, whether sanitary, phytosanitary and protecting their steel industry, as well as Brazil's legitimate export interests, embodied in the Mercosur-European Union agreement."

The meeting between Lula and Von der Leyen in the midst of the G7 comes after the European Union's recent announcement that it will restrict the entry of Brazilian meat into the bloc from September onwards, citing health issues.

Source: CNN