SAO PAULO Brazil's Foreign Relations Minister Mauro Vieira said on Wednesday the Mercosur bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay has already sent the European Union their position on an European addendum to their long-awaited trade agreement.

Mercosur's counterproposal follows a so-called side letter from the EU including environmental safeguards to address strong reservations expressed by many EU member countries about the deal, which has been under negotiation for two decades.

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Kylie Madry)