EU-Brazil Summit
Lisbon, 4 July 2007
Joint Statement
1. Mr. José Sócrates, Prime Minister of Portugal, in his capacity as President of the European Council, assisted by the Secretary General/High Representative of the Council of the European Union, Mr. Javier Solana, and Mr. José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, Mr. Janez Jansa, Prime-Minister of Slovenia and future President of the European Council, and Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, held a meeting today in Lisbon. Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations, Mr. Peter Mandelson, Commissioner for External Trade, Ambassador Celso Amorim, Minister of External Relations of Brazil and Mr. Luís Amado, Minister of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, also attended the meeting.
2. The EU and Brazil exchanged views on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues. They agreed to enhance their longstanding bilateral relationship and in particular to reinforce the political dialogue at the highest political level.
LAUNCHING A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Strengthening political dialogue
3. On the historic occasion of their first summit, the EU and Brazil decided to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership, based on their close historical, cultural and economic ties. Both sides share fundamental values and principles such as democracy, rule of law, promotion of human rights and basic freedoms and a market-based economy. Both sides agree on the need to identify and promote common strategies to tackle global challenges, including in peace and security issues, democracy and human rights, climate change, biodiversity, energy security and sustainable development, fight against poverty and exclusion. They also agree on the importance of complying with obligations under existing international disarmament and non-proliferation treaties. The EU and Brazil concur that the best way to deal with global issues is through effective multilateralism, placing the UN system at its centre. Both sides welcome the establishment of an EU-Brazil political dialogue, initiated under the German Presidency of the EU.
4. The EU and Brazil attach high importance to strengthening EU – Mercosur relations and are committed to concluding the EU – Mercosur Association Agreement, which will further deepen region-to-region economic relations as well as enhance the political dialogue and cooperation initiatives. They stress the great economic and political importance that this agreement will have for both regions and its role in reinforcing their integration processes.
5. The EU and Brazil stress their commitment to strengthen the bi-regional EU-LAC process.
Strengthening sector policy dialogues
6. The EU and Brazil commend the progress in existing sector policy dialogues on maritime transport, science and technology and information society. Both sides agree to enhance their dialogue on environment and sustainable development. They welcome the launching of new dialogues on energy, employment and social issues, regional development, culture and education, as well as a consultation mechanism on sanitary and phytosanitary issues. They fully support the dialogues in addressing topics of mutual interest so as to enhance the existing co-operation. Concerning in particular the sector dialogue on science and technology, the EU and Brazil stress the fact that the recent entry into force of the EU-Brazil Science and Technology Co-operation Agreement provides a sound basis for deepening the existing co-operation.
Addressing Global Challenges
7. The EU and Brazil underline the importance of implementing the on-going reform process adopted at the UN Summit in 2005, including the reform of the main UN bodies, as referred to in the outcome document, in order to address various challenges that the international community faces.
8. The EU and Brazil agree to work together to face the more pressing global peace and security challenges, such as the issues of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, in particular regarding nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery, transnational organised crime such as illicit drug trafficking, money laundering, trafficking of small arms, light weapons and ammunition, trafficking in persons, as well as terrorism and irregular migration. Both sides express their commitment to the Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean.
9. The EU and Brazil recognise that one of the greatest challenges of our century is the eradication of poverty. They re-affirm their commitment to continue working together closely in promoting and implementing the Millennium Development Goals, they welcome the initiatives taken by Brazil and some Member States to implement innovative sources of financing and they underline their interest in intensifying co-operation in the field of development assistance. They stress the importance of building a global partnership for development and implementing the plan of action of the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development. They will also engage in fighting poverty and advancing the discussions on social cohesion in the EU-LAC framework.
10. Reiterating their commitment to strengthening the multilateral climate change regime, the EU and Brazil strive for an ambitious agreement on the Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol as well as further action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including incentives for developing countries to take measurable, reportable and verifiable measures of different kinds. Both sides agree that significant progress can be achieved guided by the ultimate objective of the Convention and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and reiterate their commitment to a successful outcome of the Bali Conference in December 2007. They take note of the provisions regarding cooperation in the fields of climate change and energy in the Joint Statement by the German G8 Presidency and the Heads of State and/or Government of the G5 in Heiligendamm on 8 June 2007. They will co-operate more closely on the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding, and notably on the next Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and on the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in Bonn in May 2008 to advance the implementation of the Convention as well as of the Protocol. They will strengthen cooperation on issues such as water resources management and forests.
11. They decide to cooperate to ensure the sustainable production, use and development of all forms of energy, including biofuels, as well as to promote renewable energy sources and low carbon energy technologies. They intend to work towards increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewable energies in the global mix. They decide to act together and with other nations to create a global market for biofuels and consider the work of the International Biofuels Forum instrumental to achieve this goal. They look forward to a productive International Conference on Biofuels in Brussels on 5-6 July 2007. They welcome the initiative to organise an International Biofuels Conference in Brazil, in the second half of 2008.
Expanding and deepening trade and economic relations
12. The EU and Brazil share the belief that further liberalisation of trade and facilitation of investment flows will promote economic growth and prosperity for their people. They reaffirm their strong commitment to conclude promptly the WTO Doha Development Round. They also affirm their commitment to reach an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced agreement that fulfils the development objectives of the Round and significantly fosters trade flows in agriculture, industrial goods and services among and between developed and developing countries, as well as promotes effective trade rules.
13. The EU and Brazil are strongly committed to concluding the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement, which will further deepen region-to-region trade and investment flows. They believe regional trade agreements are important complements to the Multilateral Trade System.
14. In order to further reinforce their economic ties, the EU and Brazil plan to establish a dialogue on macro-economic and on financial issues, and they encourage the European Investment Bank to carry on its support to Brazil’s sustainable development projects. In this context, the EU and Brazil welcome the cooperation between the European Investment Bank and the Brazilian National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES).
15. They welcome the first EU-Brazil Business Round Table, held in Lisbon on 4 July 2007, with participation of Brazilian and European companies.
Bringing our people together
16. The EU and Brazil emphasise the significance of further strengthening awareness and understanding of their societies and to stimulate civil society contacts and exchanges between their people. They encourage in particular cooperation between the European Economic and Social Committee and the Brazilian Council for Economic and Social Development. They affirm their willingness to cooperate within the framework of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. They agree to expand further EU-Brazil cooperation in higher education by intensifying university exchanges under Erasmus Mundus and other bi-national and bi-regional schemes, such as the ALCUE Common Area in Higher Education. Both sides stress that quality education for all is an important task for social inclusion.
The way ahead
17. The EU and Brazil agree that their strategic partnership involves commitments to deepen mutual understanding, to expand common ground and to enhance cooperation and dialogue in areas of mutual interest. They agree to swiftly make their strategic partnership operational, result-oriented and forward-looking. The EU and Brazil will jointly work in designing an Action Plan to implement those objectives in view of the next Summit.
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