Brazil‑EU Forum Advances Critical Minerals and Energy Transition

The second Brazil‑EU Investment Forum was held in Brasília on 23 September, bringing together Brazil’s Vice‑President Geraldo Alckmin, Minister of Development Marcio Rosa, Minister of Management and Innovation Esther Dweck, and EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, among other officials. Organized by ApexBrasil and the European Union with the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), the meeting focused on expanding bilateral investment in the energy transition, digital infrastructure and sustainable value chains.

Key topics included the development of Brazil’s critical‑minerals and rare‑earth sectors, with discussions on European financing to support local processing and reduce dependence on external suppliers. Síkela warned of “dangerous dependencies” highlighted by the COVID‑19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, emphasizing diversification of supply chains. The forum also examined the MERCOSUR‑EU trade agreement, highlighting its potential to boost trade worth around $100 billion annually and to create new opportunities for neo‑industrialisation.

Brazil, home to the world’s second‑largest rare‑earth reserves after China, aims to shift from raw‑material export to higher‑value processing, positioning itself as a strategic partner for Europe’s decarbonisation goals.