The Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) and the president of the National Congress, Davi Alcolumbre, are organizing an official mission to Europe until March to increase political pressure for the ratification of the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. The initiative was confirmed by the president of Apex, Jorge Viana, in a press conference this Thursday (22).
According to Viana, Alcolumbre indicated that approval of the agreement will be Congress’ main agenda when resuming work after the parliamentary recess. The strategy involves accelerating internal ratification in Brazil and other Mercosur countries and then concentrating efforts directly with the Europeans.
The proposal includes a visit by parliamentarians from the South American bloc to the European Parliament, with high-level political coordination. “We are going to approve everything on the Mercosur side and, together, organize a mission to the European Parliament. It is a dialogue from parliament president to parliament president, at the appropriate political level”, said Viana.
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Fighting stereotypes
At the same time, Apex is preparing a communication offensive to face resistance to the agreement and update the perception of Brazil among MEPs and consumers, combating stereotypes. Apex data shows that the European Union is the second largest destination for Brazil’s exports, with US$49.8 billion in 2025, behind only China. Agribusiness accounts for around 23% of bilateral trade, a percentage lower than the perception that the agreement would be predominantly agricultural.
According to Viana, part of the opposition to the agreement is still based on an outdated image of Brazil, especially related to agribusiness and environmental and social agendas. “The image of Brazil has changed and needs to be worked on abroad. Arguments used four or five years ago no longer fit the current scenario”, he said.
Study
Apex also released a study that indicates that Brazil can increase exports in 543 products with immediate relief (removal of tariffs), in a market that generates US$43.9 billion per year in imports from the European Union.
In the division by region, Western Europe concentrates the largest number of opportunities, with 266 products. In four years, from 2020 to 2024, Brazilian exports to the area totaled US$831 million on an annual average. Southern Europe has 123 items, followed by Eastern Europe with 101 products. Northern Europe has 53 types of goods.
Legal review
The move comes after the European Parliament approved, by a narrow margin, a request for legal review additional to the agreement, signed last Saturday (17)after 26 years of negotiations. Although it does not make the treaty unfeasible, the decision creates a new political obstacle and tends to prolong its processing within the bloc for up to two years.
The resolution responded to pressure from parliamentarians who defend stricter environmental safeguards and new verification mechanisms — demands that, according to the Brazilian government, could compromise the negotiated text. Viana attributed the result to the low mobilization of supporters of the agreement and the actions of European agricultural lobbies opposed to the entry of Brazilian products.
