Overview and challenges of Brazil – EU agro-industrial trade

Abstract

Some aspects of trade relations between the European Union (EU) and Brazil, as a Mercosur member country, were analyzed with emphasis on the main groups of agricultural products from the total European import agenda and with Brazil, from 2015 to 2019. Brazil plays a significant role as a supplier of agro-industrial products to the European Bloc, despite the challenges faced for accessing this market. In the study, we examined the EU’s agro-industrial foreign trade agenda, from Brazil to the EU, as well as the framework of tariff and non-tariff measures applied to the bloc’s agro-industrial imports. Furthermore, in view of the potential impact of agricultural policies on countries’ commercial competitiveness, we sought to identify some of the instruments of European domestic support for their rural producers. These elements were used to direct a brief discussion on the importance of consolidating an agreement between the European Union and Mercosur blocs, mainly in the context of exploring Brazilian potential as an agroexporter.