The German Chancellor reaffirmed on Monday that the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur “should finally be locked” despite strong opposition, particularly from France. “After more than twenty years [de négociations] we must now finally finalize the free trade agreement with Mercosur”.said Olaf Scholz at a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. “This has gone on far too long, the way it was negotiated. It’s not a good example.”he added. “We need more free trade agreements. The world is changing.”he said.

The European Commission, backed by countries such as Germany and Spain, hopes to sign the free-trade agreement negotiated for decades between the EU and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia) by the end of the year. But other EU members are opposed, led by France, the continent’s leading agricultural country by value. On Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron said in Buenos Aires that France would not would not “sign as it stands”. the free trade treaty between the European Union and Mercosur, saying he wanted to “to reassure farmers”. and “continue” to oppose it.