2014-03-26
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During the 7th European Union-Brazil Summit, held on 24 February in Brussels (Belgium), Brazil and the EU reassessed their ongoing sector dialogues and discussed the key areas that will be part of the Joint Action Plan (JAP) for 2015-2017. The top priorities were: the promotion of peace and security; the economic development of both partners; the promotion of science, technology and innovation; overcoming the challenges in sustainable development, climate change, the environment and energy security. The need to internationalise both European and Brazilian SMEs, in order to make them more competitive and resilient to adversity in domestic markets , was also highlighted at the Summit.
Cybersecurity policy was another issue considered a priority for the EU and Brazil. A sector dialogue was started on the subject, which will include specific areas such as the right to freedom of expression and privacy. During the Summit, the parties reaffirmed their belief that Internet governance should be inclusive, transparent and based on a genuine multi-stakeholder model and agreed to cooperate for the success of the Global Multilateral Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance, held in São Paulo on 23 and 24 April 2014.
Brazil and the EU also agreed to strengthen their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and communication, cooperation and engagement in resolving sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues, as well as principles, regulations, rights and obligations set out in the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). With regard to technical cooperation, a working group was created to address auditing and inspection issues. The two partners also welcomed the progress made in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on animal welfare, signed in 2013.
The EU and Brazil also acknowledged the importance of science and technology, which saw considerable progress in cooperative research related to marine science, food security, nutrition , bio-economy and sustainable agriculture, nanotechnology and information and communication technologies. The commitment to advance in these areas was reaffirmed. Brazil and the EU assessed the direct scientific cooperation between European and Brazilian research entities as dynamic, emphasising the ongoing exchanges on disaster management with the National Centre for Disaster Monitoring and Warning (Cemaden), as well as the recent Soil Atlas of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Increased cooperation in cloud computing policy as well as plans for the installation of optical fiber cables connecting Brazil to Europe were both commended. The parties recognised that the cables will facilitate communication between the two continents, reduce costs and spur investment, creating better conditions for the smooth running of the EU - Brazil partnership.
As for concerns with the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the two partners reiterated their determination to keep global temperature rise below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. In this context, they reaffirmed their commitment to achieving an ambitious and fair outcome in the negotiations leading to the adoption of a protocol or other legal international instrument - or a binding agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that will apply to all parties, to be agreed on by 2015 and implemented from 2020. The importance and urgency of the obligations implemented by the Kyoto Protocol were also stressed.
The commitment of the EU and Brazil to work according to the High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development was reaffirmed , so as to ensure a balanced and integrated approach to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development (recognising the link between the latter and the eradication of poverty). Emphasis was also placed on the need for cooperation on issues such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of and access to genetic resources, reduction of and resistance to disaster hazards, sustainable forestry and water use in order to contribute to the protection and rational use of natural resources.
Finally, Brazil and the EU established that the post-2015 framework should encompass all these goals and have poverty eradication and sustainable development at its core. The partners also highlighted the possibilities of expanding bilateral cooperation in research and development of renewable energy, including joint initiatives in energy efficiency and sustainable production of biofuels. The need for progress in this field was highlighted - renewable energy plays a crucial role in expanding access to energy, generating sustainable social development and helping to reduce poverty. Thus, the parties stressed the importance of global efforts to promote the use of renewable energy sources and the development of business relationships in this sector, involving small and medium enterprises in Brazil and the European Union.
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