Overview
The 5th largest country in the world and the biggest economy in Latin America with a population of over 212 million, Brazil is a global player with longstanding historical, cultural, political, and economic ties with the EU and its Member States.
The country’s current development agenda prioritises reducing inequalities, eradicating poverty and hunger, and promoting social inclusion. Strengthening internal security, addressing corruption, and advancing Brazil’s path towards OECD accession are also among its key national objectives.
Our partnership
The EU partners with Brazil to support efforts towards sustainable and inclusive development. Dialogue and cooperation are pursued at both the bilateral and multilateral level, particularly to face global challenges and uphold common values.
As part of the Global Gateway Strategy, the EU and Brazil collaborate on two main priorities: Green Deal and Digital Transformation. Initiatives include energy, green transition, and digital connectivity. In addition, a multi-country project on electro-mobility and transport is being conducted with the Brazilian participation.
Team Europe in Brazil brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and several EU Member States, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Together with Brazil, we work to advance shared interests in areas such as economy, technology and innovation, environment, and climate action, human rights and security.
The EU has allocated €70 million towards the partnership in 2021-2027.
EU-Brazil partnership documents can be found in the 'Related documents' section below.
Our key initiatives
- Climate and energy
Brazil and the EU are working together on a largescale raft of projects to help Brazil meet its sustainability goals. These include critical actions against deforestation, environmental degradation and climate change that also create opportunities for Brazilians. These actions include:
- Funding and implementing the Amazon Fund, which works to halt deforestation in favour of sustainable economic development.
- Implementing the Amazon Basin Green Transition Initiative (Amazonia+), which economically develops local communities while reversing the degradation of the local environment.
- Enabling Brazil’s transition to a sustainable economic model through the Euroclima Country Window Brazil project.
- Investing in Brazil’s green hydrogen energy usage through the Euroclima Global Gateway Regional project.
- Promoting broader Latin American job growth and transition to a circular economic model through the AL-Invest Verde project.
AL-Invest is also actively supporting the Deforestation Regulation, working in synergy with the Brazilian private sector and government institutions.
- Digital
Brazil and the EU are deepening their strategic partnership in the digital sector, with specific actions that include:
- Discussing digital policy and regulatory harmonisation and cooperation, as well as assisting start-ups through the EU-Brazil Digital Dialogue and Partnership Facility.
- Delivering 4G digital connectivity in the Amazon region through Amazonia Verde, in partnership with Nokia.
- Dialogue and public diplomacy
Brazil and the EU are deepening their relationship through sector-by-sector dialogues, which include joint cooperation throughout Latin America in areas like digitalisation and innovation.
- Blended finance
Brazil and the EU have two blended finance operations:
- A strategic facility that enables bankable development projects (LAIF City Life: Sustainable Cities Projects Identification Strategic Facility).
- A project that helps universalise basic water and sanitation services, as well as socially-inclusive development in rural low-income areas (Basic Sanitation Programme for Rural Communities in the state of CEARA: Adaptation to Climate Change).
- Security, justice, and social programmes
The EU and Brazil are working together to bolster the wellbeing of Brazilians in three ways:
- Strengthening national and regional networks of scientific research on drugs as part of prevention, care, and social reintegration of vulnerable territories in Fortaleza (Coopolad III).
- Developing a standard operating procedure for victims of international human trafficking in cooperation with countries neighbouring Brazil (Eurofront).
- Increasing Brazilian student higher education mobility and access to vocational training through Erasmus+.
