Lula sends the Mercosur-EU agreement to the Brazilian Congress to begin the ratification process

São Paulo.- The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, sent the Mercosur-European Union (EU) trade agreement to the National Congress this Monday to begin the ratification process. The sending of the treaty to Parliament coincided with the first day of legislative sessions of 2026, a gesture with which the Brazilian government seeks to expedite the processing of the agreement, which is stalled in European justice. In a written message addressed to lawmakers, Lula expressed his confidence that the National Congress “will spare no effort” to internalize the agreement “as soon as possible,” underlining the importance of parliamentary support for its entry into force. According to the president, the Mercosur-EU agreement opens “a new cycle of opportunities” for Brazilian companies, by strengthening the country’s competitiveness, expanding exports and attracting sustainable investments.

We recommend reading: Lula speaks with Trump and asks him to limit the Peace Council to Gaza and include Palestine

The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, also referred to the agreement in a speech during a joint solemn session of both legislative chambers, and promised a swift processing.

Uncertainty in the Provisional Application

The agreement was signed on January 17th in a ceremony in Asunción and to come into effect it must be ratified by at least one Mercosur country and by the EU, where the treaty has been challenged in court. The European Parliament cannot ratify the agreement until the Court of Justice of the EU rules, but legally, the European Commission could decide to start applying it provisionally without waiting for the European Parliament. You can also read: The European Commission has yet to clarify whether it will implement it provisionally, although the President of the European Council, António Costa, has urged the Community Executive to apply the agreement once it has been ratified by one of the Mercosur partners, because the Twenty-Seven have already approved the pact.