After years of negotiations on the trade agreement, a basic agreement was reached in 2019, but the national parliaments have not yet ratified the agreement. Fernandez blamed protectionism on the part of the Europeans, who in turn are demanding concrete steps from Brazil to protect the Amazon rainforest. Berlin is hoping for progress here after the new Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office, who announced a new climate policy. Scholz wants to meet Lula on Monday.