On 21-22 June 2011, the Brazilian Government received a UK Ministerial Delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The two Governments held wide-ranging discussions and mapped out areas of co-operation for the coming four years, with the overarching aim being to elevate an already strong partnership to a new level.

Brazil/United Kingdom:  Key areas of co-operation

Bilateral

Trade and Investment

The United Kingdom and Brazil welcomed the significant increase in bilateral trade in 2010, while noting the potential for much more, and pledged to encourage greater investment in both directions. The next annual Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) will be held in London in September 2011.

Sport 

The two countries recognised the unique opportunities presented by being entrusted with the Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.  They agreed to use the planning, preparation and hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to develop our already strong co-operation on major sporting events, including on areas such as sustainability, security and legacy – based on the two bilateral agreements already signed –through a major conference, ‘London to Rio: an Olympic Legacy’, and through taking forward actions arising from future visits to London by the Brazilian CPO (Public Olympic Council). 

Science and Innovation

The UK Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, and the Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante Oliva, will sign a Joint Statement on 22 June reinforcing the thriving relationship on Science and Innovation that exists between the UK and Brazil. The two governments will continue identifying new areas for co-operation, including working to attract greater private sector investment in research and development.  Innovation will be a core element of the relationship, including exploring opportunities for technology transfer, open innovation and the establishment of greater numbers of joint-ventures between UK and Brazilian high-tech small and medium-sized, as well as spin-out, companies. The United Kingdom and Brazil agreed on the importance of intellectual property in promoting innovation and technology transfer.

Education 

Conscious of the central role education will play in the development of the two countries, the United Kingdom and Brazil are committed to greater co-operation. The two sides discussed President Dilma’s new scholarship programme and welcomed the co-operation between United Kingdom and Brazilian universities, businesses and institutions on the detail of how the numbers of students exchanged can be increased significantly over the next 4 years.  At a roundtable in Brasilia, attended by Vice Chancellors and Rectors of United Kingdom and Brazilian universities, both countries welcomed the signature of an agreement between BG Group and CNPq, by which BG Group will fund up to 450 new scholarships for Brazilian students to the United Kingdom over the next 5 years.

Defence

The United Kingdom and Brazil welcomed the signature of a Defence Co-operation Treaty in September 2010 and the increase in collaboration between both armed forces and Ministries of Defence. The UK looks forward to the visit of the Brazilian Defence Minister next month.

Culture and Tourism 

The United Kingdom and Brazil agreed to ensure the opportunities presented by the coming major sporting events in their countries were exploited fully, including a substantial increase in bilateral tourism and cultural exchange, and further innovative partnerships and collaboration between our people, organisations and businesses. The United Kingdom and Brazil signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation and Exchange.

International

Political/Security 

The United Kingdom and Brazil will continue consulting regularly on the agenda of the UN Security Council and of other related multilateral fora on international peacekeeping, disarmament and non-proliferation, and human rights.  The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated UK support for a reformed UN Security Council including Brazil as a permanent member.

International Development  

The United Kingdom and Brazil signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on Global Development which will strengthen their joint work to promote the accelerated achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The MoU will encourage stronger and deeper dialogue and cooperation, making use of the skills and experience of both countries in order to produce a greater impact on global poverty and growth. Work to be taken forward includes an extended programme of trilateral cooperation, promoting debate on global development policy and exchanging best practice from both countries’ development cooperation systems.

Economic

The United Kingdom and Brazil will work closely together within the G20 to deliver shared objectives for strong, sustained and balanced global growth.  Both governments acknowledge the challenges facing the world economy today and will continue to cooperate within the G20 to address them.

International Trade 

The United Kingdom and Brazil reaffirmed their joint commitment to free and open markets. As longstanding supporters of the Doha Trade Round and the multilateral trading system, the two countries noted with grave concern the current impasse in the Doha negotiations and agreed to work together to explore all negotiating options to bring the Round to a conclusion, giving priority to the needs of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Both countries support the conclusion of a Mercosur-EU Bi-Regional Association Agreement in order to boost mutual trade and investment and to strengthen the wider relationship between both Regions.

Energy

The United Kingdom and Brazil welcomed the launch in 2011 of a new High Level Energy Dialogue, to explore means of working together domestically and internationally, including through the G20 and IEF, to promote energy security, production and use of renewable energies, and open up new investment and scientific opportunities in the energy sector.

Climate change and sustainable development

The United Kingdom and Brazil will work together on the key environmental challenges of the 21st century, continuing the close co-operation at the Nagoya and Cancun meetings. The two countries recognised the opportunity of the Rio+20 Conference in 2012 for securing renewed commitment for sustainable development and agreed to co-operate closely to maximise its impact.

Countering the global flow of Drugs, Transnational Organized Crime and Cyber Crime

UK Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne and Acting Brazilian Justice Minister Luiz Paulo Barreto today agreed a new Memorandum of Understanding, which strengthens the bilateral strategic and operational relationships on security and crime. The two countries will continue to work bilaterally, regionally and internationally to tackle serious organised crime, illegal drug trafficking and emerging threats to international cyber security.