Brussels, May 4, 2026 (Lusa) - A delegation of MEPs is set to visit Brazil between Wednesday and Friday to strengthen trade relations and multilateralism, less than a week after the provisional trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) entered into force.
According to a statement from the European Parliament (EP), the delegation, which will be led by the Portuguese MEP Hélder Sousa, “aims to strengthen the European Union’s (EU) ties with Brazil, focusing on trade relations and multilateralism”.
“The EP delegation arrives in Brazil a week after the provisional application of the trade agreement with the Mercosur countries, which Brazil has ratified.”
“Global progress in the fight against climate change, taking into account the outcomes of COP30 [United Nations Climate Change Conference] in Belém in 2025, and Brazil’s role in forums such as the G20 and the BRICS group of emerging economies are other issues to be examined,” the delegation said.
Between Wednesday and Friday, the delegation, comprising 10 MEPs, will be in Brasília and Rio de Janeiro for meetings with “members of the government, MPs, business leaders and representatives of civil society”.
In Brasília, the delegation will meet with Brazil’s Vice-President, Geraldo Alckmin, the Environment Minister João Paulo Capobiano, the Science and Technology Minister Luciana Santos, and the Development, Industry and International Trade Minister Mário Elias Rosa.
They will also meet with the speaker of parliament, Hugo Motta, and take part in the fifth EU-Brazil Interparliamentary Meeting.
In Rio de Janeiro, the 10 MEPs will meet with local authorities, representatives of Brazilian and European companies and civil society organisations, “learning about projects developed in the country with European funding”, the EP said.
Additionally, MEP Hélder Sousa, head of the delegation, described the current period as “a unique opportunity to strengthen political, economic and cultural ties between the EU and the Mercosur countries”.
"After 25 years of negotiations, the time for promises is over, and it is now time to move from words to deeds.”
“From a geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic perspective, it is essential to close this chapter and move towards its implementation," he said.
The trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American Mercosur countries came into force provisionally on Friday, after more than 25 years of negotiations, creating one of the world’s largest free trade areas, covering more than 700 million consumers.
Customs duties on various EU exports to the Latin American bloc, such as cars, pharmaceuticals, olive oil and wine, will be significantly reduced or even eliminated.
The treaty, which facilitates the entry of South American beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya, was finally signed in mid-January.
Negotiations on this trade agreement began in 1999, and it has been contested mainly by the EU’s agricultural sector, for which safeguard clauses have been established.
TA/MYAL // AYLS
Lusa
