According to executive secretary of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), Márcio Elias, the federal government intends to close the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union this year. Elias stated that Brazil's intention is to close the agreement in the first half of the year.
According to the secretary, the Brazilian government remains in contact with European authorities to unblock the requirements that must be fulfilled by the country and the other members of the bloc. Elias also stated that the obstacles to finalizing the agreement between Mercosur and the EU are related to environmental requirements and labor legislation, which are already complied with by Brazil, but need the endorsement of other countries to count in the clauses of the trade agreement.
Source: abrafrutas.org