Trade Policy Roundtables  

In September, Canning House and the Department for International Trade (DIT) co-hosted two round table meetings to discuss to UK-Brazil trade and investment with a focus on the automotive and life sciences sectors. This event brought together businesses that had experience in, or had expressed an interest in exploring and investing in both sectors in Brazil.

The purpose of the workshop was to better understand the barriers companies face in the market. This helps ensure the DITs work targets the issues that matter most to companies wanting to do business there. Representatives from DIT explained that the UK Brazil Joint Trade Review identified a number of sectors where bilateral trade and investment could be increased, including he life sciences and automotive sector.

At the Joint Economic and Trade Committee in March, UK and Brazilian Ministers agreed that officials would focus on these sectors to identify ways to improve the business environment. Since then, DIT have agreed a programme of work with Brazilian colleagues with an early focus on trade facilitation and improving regulatory practices. DIT are also working with Brazilians colleagues to develop a forum to enable UK and Brazilian companies to engage in direct dialogue with each other, and with both governments, to further identify areas for cooperation.DIT will take forward the results of this discussion and will hope to see further collaboration with UK business in advance of the next Joint Economic and Trade Review.