A permanent roundtable between Italy and Brazil to advance the benefits of the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur and further accelerate trade between the two countries. This is one of the most significant results of the Italian mission to Latin America, organized by Confindustria, the Farnesina, and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), which stopped first in Argentina and then in Brazil.
In 2025, trade between Italy and Brazil exceeded €11 billion, with Italian exports reaching approximately €5.8 billion. These are significant figures, but they are still considered below the potential of two economies that can further strengthen their trade relations.
In São Paulo, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani signed an agreement with the Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, Márcio Fernando Elias Rosa, to relaunch the Italy-Brazil bilateral committee. The new body will bring together representatives of the relevant institutions of the two countries and will be tasked with identifying and removing obstacles to the growth of exports and investments.
Tariffs and regulatory barriers
One of the main opportunities comes from the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, which provides for a progressive reduction in tariffs currently applied to many European products. In some strategic sectors for Made in Italy, such as automobiles, clothing, and food products, tariffs can reach up to 35%.
Their reduction, once fully implemented, will represent a significant economic advantage for European and Brazilian companies. But it’s not just tariffs that are holding back trade. Numerous non-tariff barriers also weigh heavily: advance licenses, technical certifications, administrative procedures, and specific labeling, which can lead to additional costs and delays for companies.
It is precisely these obstacles that the new bilateral forum will address. The goal is to simplify mutual market access and create more favorable conditions, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
“Today we need alternative alliances; we cannot be held hostage by other countries,” emphasized Confindustria President Emanuele Orsini, highlighting the need for the Italian manufacturing system to diversify its markets and commercial partners.
A mission with over 2,600 encounters
Tajani expressed satisfaction with the results of the mission, which facilitated over 2,600 meetings between Italian entrepreneurs and local operators between Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Numerous SMEs, considered crucial to the international expansion of the Italian manufacturing system, also participated.
“We are the first European country,” Tajani declared, “to arrive in Latin America with such a large delegation. We want to further grow our exports to Brazil.”
For the Deputy Prime Minister, the Italian strategy also has a specific geopolitical significance: strengthening Europe’s presence in a region where China and the United States, in particular, have significantly increased their influence in recent years.
Simest’s general manager, Regina Corradini D’Arienzo, confirmed the region’s strategic importance: “South America confirms its strategic importance for the internationalization of the Italian manufacturing system.”
The role of large Italian groups
Supporting the growth of Italian companies in Brazil and other Latin American countries isn’t just about new exports. Large Italian groups already established in the region can also play a key role, generating orders and opportunities for a vast network of suppliers and partners.
Among these is Enel, which has announced investments of approximately €10 billion in Latin America over the next three years. The energy group is one of the leading Italian companies in the region and operates as an integrated utility, covering various stages of the supply chain: from electricity generation and distribution to sales to end customers.
A new era is thus dawning for Made in Italy. Brazil, thanks to the size of its market and its central role within Mercosur, could become one of the main drivers of growth for Italian exports to Latin America.