Finland's president touts EU-Mercosur deal in Brasilia

Lula told Niinisto that his government hopes for a "balanced" trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union that could support Brazil's push for re-industrialization and sustainable development. Niinisto came to Brazil with a business delegation that included companies offering technology ranging from mining and quantum computing to renewable energy to speed up the transition to a green, low carbon economy.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday and discussed increasing trade by completing a long-overdue tariff reduction agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur South American countries. Lula told Niinisto that his government hopes for a "balanced" trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union that could support Brazil's push for re-industrialization and sustainable development.

Niinisto came to Brazil with a business delegation that included companies offering technology ranging from mining and quantum computing to renewable energy to speed up the transition to a green, low carbon economy. "We hope that the EU-Mercosur association agreement can be finalized as soon as possible. It would increase market access for companies and provide a boost for our trade," said

Johanna Jakala, executive director of Business Finland, the government agency that organized the delegation. It included executives from Neste Corporation, a company that refines waste and residues into renewable fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel, and Wartsila Corporation , which manufactures energy equipment for the marine industry and is developing methanol-powered engines for ships.

"There are opportunities for partnerships to drive the global energy transition towards a low carbon economy through knowledge sharing and leveraging expertise of our countries," Jäkälä said. Finland and Brazil signed a civil aviation agreement setting the conditions for their airlines to fly to both countries.

It was the Finnish president's second visit to Brazil, where he traveled in 2016 for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

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