Brasília, 15/11/2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazil's permanent representative at the European Community, ambassador José Alfredo Graça Lima, said that the 8th Mercosur-European Union Negotiation Conference, which ended on November 14, was very productive. Delegates from both blocks concluded discussions on methods and modulos for negotiations on market access for goods, including farm produce, and services.

Graça Lima declared that there are difficulties in negotiations with both the EU and regarding the Free Trade Area of the Americas, but that for Mercosur the talks with the EU were more important because of similarities between the economic blocks. (AB)