MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Alckmin discusses Brazil's ties with European envoy beyond Mercosur

Alckmin highlighted the Brazilian government's efforts to reposition the country internationally

Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin met Friday with the European Commission's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager to discuss the South American country's relations beyond the Mercosur deal, Agencia Brasil reported.

The meeting took place during the launching ceremony of the Brazil-European Union Bilateral Investment Map, a study published by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), in Brasilia.

Alckmin pointed out that the European Union (EU) is the world's largest investor in Brazil and that he intends to strengthen this partnership because he understands that Europeans share values and principles, such as sustainable, inclusive, and stable development. Negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union began in 1999 but only advanced in 2019 after commercial issues and political issues were worked out. The trade treaty is currently in the revision phase.

“For us, finalizing the negotiations of the Mercosur-European Union agreement is an absolute priority. It is a very important moment to accelerate finalization and this is the moment to make things happen,” said the European Commission envoy.

Vestager also stressed that 50% of direct foreign investment in Brazil was of European origin and that she was proud to see so many European companies operating in the country.

“We hope to develop strategic partnerships, including sustainable mining. We will leave behind the old mining, in which there was a frank and clear exploitation of nature and people, in particular by displacing and removing raw materials from exploited locations, now in search of a much more appropriate balance, in which the sharing of the aggregate value obtained is done more adequately and fairly,” she said.

Alckmin highlighted the Brazilian government's efforts to reposition the country ”in the fight against climate change, zero illegal deforestation, energy transition, decarbonization, and green hydrogen. In the coming weeks a visit to Brazil by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, should be scheduled, according to Itamaraty.

The Brazil-European Union Bilateral Investment Map consists of a survey and analysis of official data and announcements of new projects that outline an overview of the investment relationship between the two regions. The study shows the distribution of these investments among the bloc's member states and, also, in the Brazilian states.

This is the second version of the survey that, based on a scenario analysis conducted by the Market Intelligence sector of ApexBrasil, maps the most promising business opportunities between the bloc and the country. In these analyses, information is found on projects, values, and jobs resulting from investment operations by foreign companies in Brazil and Brazilian companies abroad. The objective is to draw up a panorama of the investment relationship between the two regions.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry also announced Friday that at least 20 trade agreements will be signed during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's visit to China between March 26 and 31. Lula will visit Beijing and Shanghai, and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The president's agenda is still being set by the Palácio do Planalto.

According to Itamaraty's Asia and Pacific Secretary, Ambassador Eduardo Paes Saboia, the number of bilateral agreements may still increase. Among the agreements is the use of a satellite capable of monitoring forests even with a large presence of clouds.

It will be Lula's third international trip after taking office after Argentina and the United States. (Source: Agencia Brasil)