Merz and Lula Welcome EU-Mercosur Trade Deal in Hanover

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, representing Germany, and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, called for significantly closer cooperation between the European Union and South America’s largest economy during the opening of the Hanover industrial fair on Sunday. Both leaders welcomed the official entry into force of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement on May 1, describing it as a vital step toward maintaining a rules-based global economic system.

"This shows that we are sticking to the multilateral order, that we want a rules-based economic system, and that we want this cooperation with as few tariffs as possible – ideally none at all."