"The Federal Senate of Brazil unanimously approved the bill endorsing the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union on Wednesday, following prior approval by the country's Chamber of Deputies. With 38 votes, the ratification of the trade agreement is now ready to be signed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, one of its strongest promoters. "Request number 140 of 2026 from the leaders has been submitted, requesting urgency for the deliberation of the matter. The request is put to a vote; senators who approve it remain as they are. The request is approved," said Davi Alcolumbre, senator from the Union Brazil party who was presiding over the session. In this way, Brazil becomes the third Mercosur country to ratify the agreement, following Uruguay and Argentina. Meanwhile, Paraguay has submitted the agreement to its Congress but has not yet approved it. Only after its ratification will the agreement fully enter into force within the South American bloc. The pact, signed on January 17 in Asuncion after 25 years of negotiations, eliminates more than 90 per cent of tariffs, creates the world's largest free trade zone involving around 720 million people, and opens markets for South American exports such as beef and soybeans to Europe."