Brussels, 06/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, begins on 9 July a visit to Brazil, to try and rally the industrialists and representatives from civil society to the EU/Mercosur free trade agreement negotiations and the European position on the multilateral trade negotiations. During a three-day visit to Rio, Sao Paulo and Brasilia, he will meet the President, Mr Cardoso, and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Mr Lafer, for Agriculture, Mr Pratini de Moraes, for Health, Mr Serra, and take part in conferences organised by the Rio Chamber of Commerce and by the Research Institute of the powerful Federation of Sao Paulo Industries, whose leaders he will meet. He will also talk with Mr Dauster, President of the mining company CVRD and former Brazilian Ambassador to Brussels.
The official aim of this visit will be to enhance the cooperation between Brazil and the EU in the view of WTO negotiations in November, announced the Commission. Mr Lamy should promote in particular the European initiatives for the opening of markets to less developed countries ("Everything but arms") and to facilitate access to reasonable prices to treatments against AIDS and other diseases. A few days after having announced the European offer for the negotiations of the EU/Mercosur free trade agreement (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.7), he should also try to convince the Brazilian companies of the value of this negotiation, the Brazilian business circles until giving the priority to the negotiation of a free trade agreement between the Latin American countries and the United States.