Brasília - The Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, said today that he believes the agreement between the Mercosur and the European Union (EU) will gain renewed force after the inauguration of the president-elect of the European Commission (EC), José Manuel Durão Barroso, former Prime-Minister of Portugal. Durão Barroso will take office on November 1.

"Now we must start negotiating with a new EU government, with the new president, who is a person who knows Brazil and has a very intense personal relationship with President Lula," Furlan affirmed.

On Thursday (21), negotiators from the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and European Union member countries concurred in Lisbon to continue their discussions through 2005 to reach a free trade agreement between the two blocs.

Regarding the difficulties that impeded agreement between the two blocs, Furlan said he believes that technical issues weighed more heavily than political ones.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Bruno Bocchini
Translator: David Silberstein
10/22/2004