In response to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's statement that she has "considerable doubts" about the implementation of the EU free trade agreement with the Mercosur states, Thilo Brodtmann, VDMA Executive Director, says:

"The Mercosur agreement must come. Because the agreement will enable the EU to build political pressure on Brazilian President Bolsonaro on the issue of deforestation. It is better to remain in dialogue than to leave the country to its own devices or to push it into a partnership with China. The sooner the agreement is implemented, the sooner the EU can officially request consultation with Brazil on the subject of sustainability on the basis of the agreement. This is because both sides are committed to implementing the Paris Climate Protection Agreement. 

European importers will also make their contribution by agreeing with Brazilian suppliers that the products do not come from freshly cleared rainforest areas. A corresponding agreement already exists for soy.

The Mercosur agreement is a long-term project. It will continue to have an effect even after the Brazilian president has long since left office. Therefore, a rejection of the agreement would be purely symbolic. No tree will be saved inBrazil if the agreement is not ratified.”

A photo of Thilo Brodtmann, Executive Director of VDMA, can be found here.

The VDMA represents around 3300 German and European companies in the mechanical engineering industry.

The industry represents innovation, export orientation, medium-sized companies and employs around four million people in Europe, more than one million of them in Germany.

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VDMA European Office
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E-Mail european.office@vdma.org
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President: Carl Martin Welcker
Executive Director: Thilo Brodtmann
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