President Lula da Silva meets with FEPS and Plataforma CIPÓ

In the context of the EU-CELAC Summit, FEPS had the opportunity to meet with the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On that occasion, Thainá Leite, FEPS Project Officer, and Maiara Folly, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Plataforma CIPÓ, presented him FEPS latest publication ‘Lula’s new government: Prospects for Brazilian foreign policy and relations with the EU‘.

This policy brief examines Brazil’s foreign policy under the third presidency of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, focusing on the potential for enhancing relations between Brazil and the European Union, particularly in the areas of climate change, sustainable development and energy transition. Additionally, the brief addresses the domestic challenges faced by Lula’s government that could impact the implementation of Brazil’s foreign policy, including fiscal constraints, threats to democracy, and the need to rebuild key federal institutions that were dismantled by the previous government of Jair Bolsonaro.

Furthermore, it highlights the changing global context, such as geopolitical rivalries, the war in Ukraine and the crisis of global governance, and their impact on Brazil’s role in the world and its relations with the EU. The policy brief concludes with recommendations to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Brazil and the EU. 

We also shared our publication with Ambassador Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Ambassador Celso Amorim, President Lula’s Special Advisor for International Affairs, and Janja Lula da Silva, First Lady of Brazil.

On 17 July, one day before the meeting with President Lula, FEPS hosted in its headquarters the meeting ‘Brazil-EU: parliamentarians’ exchange on how to strengthen cooperation on the climate and sustainable development agendas‘. The event brought together progressive Brazilian parliamentarians and members of the EU Parliament. The goal was to informally debate and identify opportunities to advance cooperation, based on mutual interests, with an emphasis on the areas of climate, technological and energy transition, sustainable development and green industrialisation.