German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visits Brazil to promote EU‑Mercosur trade deal

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul continued his South American tour on Thursday with a stop in São Paulo, where he attended a conference of the German Chamber of Foreign Trade on the new EU‑Mercosur free‑trade agreement. He met language students at the Goethe‑Institut, visited the Volkswagen plant in São Bernardo and is scheduled to travel later to Brasília. The EU‑Mercosur pact, which entered into force in early May, aims to progressively eliminate tariffs and trade barriers between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay). German officials expect the deal to boost exports of automobiles, machinery, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals, while reducing dependence on Chinese supply chains. Brazil is Germany’s top trade partner in South America, making the minister’s visit a key diplomatic effort to reinforce commercial ties under the agreement.