Lula pledges to defend SMEs in EU-Mercosur deal
Regarding the European Union-Mercosur trade deal, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva insisted that his government's purchases were "non-negotiable" and promised not to give in because it would entail killing "the possibility of growth of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs)." The Workers' Party leader also admitted that discrepancies on this point might delay the agreement "a little longer."