1. We, the leaders of the European Union and the Federative Republic of Brazil, met today in Brussels to reaffirm our close partnership. As we both face global challenges, our partnership represents a valuable opportunity for greater prosperity and security to our 700 million citizens.
2. Today, we focused our discussions on how to use and develop the full potential of our strategic partnership in three key areas of co-operation that are of vital interest to our citizens: first, how to ensure strong, balanced and sustainable economic growth and job creation, including in new emerging fields; second, how to cooperate more effectively on key foreign policy issues, as well as humanitarian cooperation; and third, how to further our partnership on addressing global challenges we face in areas such as sustainable development, climate change, environment, energy, human rights and international cyber policy.
Leveraging our Strategic Partnership
3. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to the values and principles of democracy and the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the promotion of sustainable development with social inclusion, and the promotion of international peace and security, on which the EU-Brazil Strategic Partnership is based.
4. We reviewed the existing bilateral dialogues and reflected on key areas for the partnership in the next years, namely to promote international peace and security; the inclusive growth of our respective economies; to promote science, technology and innovation; and to overcome the challenges in the areas of sustainable development, climate change, environment, energy security and international cyber policy. These aims should be translated into concrete initiatives by the next EU-Brazil Joint Action Plan 2015-2017.
5. We also agreed to strengthen our bilateral political dialogue in order to converge further on the global agenda and on our positions in international fora. In that context, we reiterated the importance of a strong and effective multilateral UN system, based upon international law.
6 The promotion and protection of all human rights of all persons lie at the core of our Strategic Partnership. We reiterated our commitment to defend the universality and indivisibility of human rights, including in the fight against discriminations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We agreed to streamline our co-operation in Geneva and New York and to strengthen cooperation on issues of mutual concern such as death penalty, torture, civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights for all, access to food, education and health care, rights of women and children, non-discrimination, racism and xenophobia, gender equality, lesbian gay bisexual transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons , indigenous peoples, human rights defenders, freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. We also expressed our strong support for the International Criminal Court in its endeavour against impunity for the worst human rights violations. In this context, we look forward to the organisation of the IV Human Rights Dialogue and the III Civil Society Seminar in the first semester of 2014.
Boosting Competitiveness, Growth and Jobs
7. We underlined the potential of our economic ties to boost our growth and generate jobs on both sides in the coming years, and to strengthen our economies for the competitive challenges of the future. We agreed to promote trade, investment and innovation, and streamline regulation, including on competition, thus bringing benefits to business, workers, and consumers. We stressed, in particular, the need to foster the internationalisation of EU and Brazilian SMEs to make them more competitive and resilient to adverse domestic market conditions.
8. In this context, we welcomed the progress made by the Ad-Hoc Working-Group on Economic Themes, focused on Investment and Competitiveness, an initiative launched at the last Summit, and we reaffirmed the importance of building upon the existing complementarities of our economies, taking advantage of the strengths and areas of excellence. We agreed to work more closely to further promote the supply and value chains that have been developed between our economies. We also welcomed the good progress made towards the adoption of the joint Action Plan that should serve as a roadmap for the next year. A progress report should be submitted to the next Summit.
9. We also stressed the importance of further strengthening contacts between our business communities, and in particular between SMEs, with a view to promoting bilateral trade and investment and exchanges in innovation, research and development and thus to increasing the competitiveness of our companies on global markets. In that regard, we look forward to the recommendations of the VII EU-Brazil Business Summit, to be held in Brussels today.
10. We agreed to reinforce our commitment to strengthen our longstanding bilateral relations and to raise the level of communication, cooperation and engagement to solve sanitary and phytosanitary issues in line with the principles, regulations, rights and obligations set forth in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the World Trade Organization.
11. Regarding technical co-operation, we welcomed the decision to create a technical working group on audits and inspections and acknowledged progress in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on animal welfare signed in 2013.
12. On the EU-MERCOSUR Bi-regional Association Agreement, we underlined our determination to achieve an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced Association Agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Union. We took stock of the progress achieved on both sides in the implementation of the Santiago Ministerial mandate and agreed that we are on track to exchange market access offers, as a necessary step in the negotiating process, in due course.
13. We welcomed the outcome of the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2013 and emphasised the importance of building on this success to provide for a new impulse to multilateral negotiations. We confirmed our commitment to a timely and ambitious implementation of the Conference results, including the Trade Facilitation Agreement, and to the establishment of a work programme on the remaining Doha Development Agenda issues in accordance with the Bali Ministerial Declaration aiming at a successful conclusion of the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development Round.
14. On global economic matters, we reasserted the importance of pursuing further our work in the G20, to stimulate growth and job creation and to maintain momentum on financial regulation, on the IMF reform and on the implementation of the other existing international commitments subscribed in the framework of the G20 and the Financial Stability Board. We also reaffirmed our commitment to resist protectionism and refrain from raising trade and investment barriers or trade distorting subsidies.
15. Competitiveness, innovation and economic growth cannot be achieved without a strong co-operation on Science and Technology. We welcomed the progress achieved at the last Joint Steering Committee meeting (Brussels, 26 and 27 June 2013), especially with regard to stepping up research co-operation in key areas such as, inter alia, marine sciences, food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture and bio-economy, energy, nanotechnologies and information and communication technologies (ICT). We reaffirmed our commitment to make progress in these areas within the agreed working groups and with regard to the planned coordinated call on bio-fuels. We also recognised the progress achieved in the ongoing cooperation under the Euratom-Brazil Cooperation Agreement in the field of Fusion Energy Research, in particular related to the Joint European Torus (JET), to be formally endorsed at the coming constitutive meeting of the Coordinating Committee. This well-functioning cooperation should be encouraged by developing a joint understanding and joint objectives for improving the framework conditions for Science and Technology. We also welcomed the dynamic direct scientific cooperation involving research entities on both sides: the continuous exchange of know-how in the area of disaster management with Brazil's CEMADEN (National Centre for Natural Disasters Monitoring and Alerts) as well as the recently published Atlas of Soils of Latin America and the Caribbean feature among highlights in this context.
16. In the domain of ICT cooperation we welcomed the enlarged policy cooperation in Cloud Computing. On ICT infrastructure, we welcomed the plans for the future installation of a fibre-optic submarine cable linking Brazil and Europe, which will improve communications between the two continents, facilitate the take-up of broadband, stimulate ICT investments, reduce the interconnectivity costs for our businesses and researchers, enhance the protection of communications and provide better functional characteristics.
17. On educational co-operation, we noted the importance all EU Member States attach to the Science without Borders Programme (“Ciência Sem Fronteiras”) and their interest in broadening their participation in the future. We also expressed our optimism about the enhancement of bilateral academic mobility under EU flagship programmes such as Erasmus+ and Marie Skodowska-Curie, starting in 2014. We look forward to the exchanges to be held this week in Brussels during an EU-Brazil Rectors Forum on internationalisation, innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education, when rectors and government officials discussed mobility programmes and innovation in higher education. Taking into consideration all these programmes, exchanges, decisions and good practices on academic mobility, we will continue working on the recognition of academic qualifications and degrees between the EU Member States and Brazil. We are also aware of the important contribution of mobility and migration to the economic and social development of our societies.
18. Transport and infrastructure are important enablers of growth. We highlighted our openness to international investment in and co-operation on infrastructure enhancements both within the EU and Brazil. In this context, we support the ongoing negotiations on the EU-Brazil Air Transport Agreement. We will work together in order to achieve the conclusion of the negotiations as soon as possible.
19. We also welcomed the dialogue on maritime transport policy, which has enabled a fruitful exchange of views and information. The increased co-operation in this area helps to generate benefits for the maritime industry and for trade flows between the EU and Brazil in general.
20. Finally, we reaffirmed our intention to start a structured dialogue on space cooperation, as laid down in the letter of intent signed in 2011, acknowledging the potential mutual benefits for economic and industrial competitiveness in Brazil and the EU.
Co-operating closer on Foreign Policy
21. We agreed on the importance of promoting the bi-regional strategic partnership between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean in order to address priority areas identified in the EU-CELAC Action Plan. The EU and Brazil will continue supporting its implementation and possible future expansion into new areas of activity. In this regard, we reaffirmed the importance of the EU-LAC Foundation and acknowledged the role it can play in deepening and strengthening the bioregional partnership and reiterated our determination to conclude as soon as possible the negotiations for an international agreement to upgrade the Foundation.
22. We reiterated our firm commitment to the stability, security and development of Haiti, the only country in the Americas where there is a UN peacekeeping Mission (MINUSTAH). We called for stronger support of the international community to Haitian efforts towards sustainable development with social inclusion and the strengthening of State institutions, including the Haitian National Police.
23. We agreed on the importance of an effective multilateral system, centred on a strong United ations, as a key factor in the tackling of global challenges. We reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative and effective, while preserving its executive nature, so that it can be more responsive to current global challenges. In this regard, we underscored that, almost 70 years after the creation of the Organization and 10 years after the adoption of the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit, time has come for achieving concrete outcomes.
24. On international peace and security matters, we welcomed the first meeting of the bilateral high-level dialogue in 2013 that included peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and instructed the dialogue to explore further complementarities and possible areas of co-operation on security and defence matters including in the context of the United Nations by drawing on each other's vast experiences and best practices.
25. We also reaffirmed our commitment to working together to support and strengthen the multilateral treaties, agreements and legal regimes in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation and to fully implement our international obligations and commitments. We agreed to further pursue our dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation, including on issues such as support to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review process, to the Conference on Disarmament, to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Finally, we agreed to continue our discussion on other issues of the international agenda, such as the process towards an International Code of Conduct on Outer Space Activities.
26. We are gravely concerned with the continuing and indiscriminate bloodshed among the civilian population in Syria and we call for full respect of International Humanitarian Law, the cessation of all violence, the immediate unhindered access by humanitarian staff and assistance to people in need in particular in besieged areas. We believe that the only solution to the conflict is a Syrian-led political transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, based on the full implementation of the 30 June 2012 Geneva Communiqué. In this regard, we welcome the efforts conducted by the UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, in bringing government and opposition together to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict. All parties must demonstrate their full commitment to the obligations under UNSC Resolution 2118 (2013). Especially, we urge the speedy implementation of the agreement on the elimination of chemical weapons
27. We also reviewed our joint efforts to support direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations leading to a two-state solution, based on the 1967 borders, in which both sides live in peace and security. In this regard we would welcome an agreement on all final status issues, fulfilling the legitimate rights of both parties to self-determination. We commended current US efforts to facilitate a deal that ends the conflict once and for all. We also agreed that both parties should avoid actions that jeopardize the negotiations, including Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.
28. On Iran, we expressed our support for a thorough implementation of the Geneva Joint Plan of Action of 24 November 2013 and agreed to continue our diplomatic efforts with Iran with a view to finding a comprehensive and long-lasting solution to the nuclear issue.
29. We congratulate the authorities and the people of Tunisia on the adoption, in late January 2014, of the new Tunisian constitution, which was the result of a broad consensus, achieved through open and democratic negotiations. We reaffirmed our support to the Tunisian transition process.
30. On Africa, we expressed our full support to the efforts of the African Union and African sub-regional organizations to provide African solutions to regional problems and to tackle security challenges in that Continent. We recognized that socioeconomic development, poverty eradication, accelerated growth, enhanced state capacity, rule of law and regional coordination are crucial elements to fight the root causes of conflicts and achieve a sustainable peace. We agreed to continue our dialogue on policies for the Sahel and West Africa, in order to support countries of that region tackling socioeconomic and security challenges 31. On Mali, we recognised the efforts made by the Malian leadership to return to full constitutional rule, restore unity, peace and order throughout the territory. We reiterated our support to the national reconciliation process and encouraged efforts to achieve durable peace in the north of Mali with the help of the United Nations. We underline the importance of progress in the negotiations which should be based on political inclusiveness. We support the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in its task to fully stabilize the country, protect civilians, monitor the human rights situation, create conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance and the return of displaced persons, and extend the State authority in the whole country. We also acknowledge the achievements and progress of the EU Training Mission. We emphasised the importance of security and economic and social development, especially in the north, to achieve sustainable peace and stability not only in Mali but for the whole sub-region.
32. We underlined the importance that Guinea Bissau restores its constitutional order through free, fair and credible elections as soon as possible in order to enable a legitimate government to create the foundations of a stable and peaceful democracy in Guinea Bissau, which must also encompass a reform of the security sector, the combat of impunity and the promotion of human rights and socio economic development. We underlined the efforts made by the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, the European Union and the CPLP in support of a return to constitutional democracy and long-term stability in Guinea Bissau. We recognize the importance to strengthen democratic institutions, to promote security sector reform and ensure food security in the post-electoral period and to have a greater co-ordination between international actors, especially through the Guinea Bissau Configuration of the UN's Peacebuilding Commission.
33. On the Central African Republic, we expressed our support to the Central African people and transitional authorities in their efforts to restore peace, promote reconciliation, political transition and future state building, and to organise free, fair and transparent elections before February 2015. We furthermore expressed our deep concern for the grave humanitarian situation and reports on widespread abuse of human rights. We fully support the efforts of MISCA and we look forward to consider the UN Secretary General’s report on the steps that would be necessary to deploy a UN Peacekeeping Operation, bearing in mind the views of all relevant parties and organizations.
34. On South Sudan, we welcomed the signature of the agreement on cessation of hostilities and the agreement on the status of detainees between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army in opposition. We welcomed the launch of the political talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 11 February, under the auspices of the IGAD, intending to lead to a sustainable peace. We underlined the importance that all the involved parties respect both agreements and engage in a peaceful reconciliation process, characterized by moderation, inclusiveness and the prevalence of dialogue. We welcomed the African Union's intention to establish a Commission of Inquiry into violations of human rights, with a view to making recommendations on accountability, reconciliation and hearing.
Tackling Global Challenges Together
35. Concerned by the conclusions of the assessment reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we reiterated our determination to meet the global objective of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2 °C above preindustrial levels. In this context, we re-affirmed our commitment to reach an ambitious, fair, balanced and legally binding outcome of the negotiations leading to the adoption of a protocol, another international legal instrument, or an agreed outcome with legal force under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), applicable to all Parties, to be agreed by 2015 and to be implemented from 2020. We also highlighted the importance of the urgent and sustained implementation of existing obligations under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.
36. Warsaw was an important step forward in the international climate negotiations. We agreed to strengthen our co-operation to ensure that the 2014 Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Lima will advance substantively towards a new global agreement under the Convention. We underlined the urgent need for all Parties to initiate or intensify domestic preparations for their intended nationally determined contributions and communicate them well in advance of the Paris conference in 2015 already by the first quarter of 2015 by those Parties ready to do so. Finally, we welcomed the UN Secretary General's prioritisation of climate dialogue in 2014 and acknowledged the climate summit of world leaders in September as an important event to show leaders' determination to tackle the urgent climate challenge.
37. On sustainable development, we reaffirmed our commitment to work under the High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development in order to ensure an integrated and balanced approach of the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainable development. Recognising the links between poverty eradication and promotion of sustainable development, we underlined the need for a coherent approach. We also reaffirmed the need for close co-operation on issues such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (ABS), disaster risk reduction and resilience, sustainable forest management, sustainable trade in wildlife and wildlife products, sustainable consumption and production and clean technologies, as well as, co-operation on sustainable use and water management, thus contributing to the protection and rational use of natural resources and sustainable development.
38. We agreed that the post-2015 framework should be comprehensive and universal in its aspirations and have poverty eradication and sustainable development at its core. We also agreed it should be based on a human rights approach. We reaffirmed our commitment to advancing the intergovernmental process based on the work of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing for defining the Post-2015 Development Agenda and to achieving an ambitious framework on line with the Outcome Documents of Rio+20 and the Special Event of the MDGs, which underlined the need for a coherent approach which integrates in a balanced manner the three dimensions of sustainable development.
39. On energy, we welcomed Brazil's engagement with the International Energy Agency and the opportunity provided by closer engagement through multilateral fora in order to support transparency in the global energy market. We also highlighted the possibilities of expanding bilateral co-operation in research and development in renewable energy, including joint initiatives in energy efficiency and sustainable production of biofuels. We indicated the importance of achieving progress in these fields and reiterated our decision to advance cooperation as agreed in previous EU-Brazil Summits. Renewable energy plays a crucial role in expanding access to energy, promoting local development in a sustainable manner, and helping to reduce poverty. In this regard, we stressed the importance of our support to global efforts to promote the use of renewable energy sources and further development of business relations between EU and Brazilian companies and SMEs active in this sector. Regarding the need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the transportation sector, we reiterated the importance of developing viable alternatives to fossil fuels.
40. On development co-operation, we expressed our willingness to work together to strengthen the effectiveness of international development co-operation. We stressed the importance, in this context, of the major multilateral and intergovernmental meetings to take place in 2014 concerning this subject, including the ECOSOC's Development Co-operation Forum and the First High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation and looked forward to make our best efforts to support the successful implementation of the post 2015 development agenda, through an inclusive and multi-shaped global partnership. We expressed our support for Brazil’s South-South development co-operation model and recognized the achievements of the trilateral co-operation initiatives developed between EU members and Brazil in benefit of developing countries.
41. With respect to co-operation in humanitarian aid, we reiterated our commitment to humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law, with a focus on live saving activities and their relation to resilience and sustainable development. We emphasized the need to engage in humanitarian aid and to cooperate in this field, including through multilateral agencies.
42. We also welcomed our deepening partnership on a wide range of trans-national security issues that affect the citizens of the European Union and Brazil. This partnership is founded on our conviction that respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and joint efforts to strengthen security co-operation are mutually reinforcing. We agreed to work together to tackle new threats to the global networks upon which the security and prosperity of our free societies increasingly depend.
43. Recognising this, as well as the growing cyber challenges, we welcomed the establishment of an EU-Brazil Dialogue on International Cyber Policy which will address a number of specific priority areas, including the right to freedom of expression and privacy, and will report progress within a year.
44. We reaffirm our strong belief that Internet governance should be inclusive, transparent, and based on a genuine multi-stakeholder model. In that context, we agreed to cooperate towards the success of the Global Multi-stakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance to be held in São Paulo on 23-24 April 2014.
45. Finally, we highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach to the global drug problem, within the framework of the principle of common and shared responsibility, and taking into account the dimensions of the prevention of the use of illicit substances, of social development and of promotion and protection of human rights. We welcomed the first meeting of the EU-Brazil Sector Dialogue on Drugs in Brussels in 2013 and look forward to the continuation of that exercise.