Comércio e Desenvolvimento

The document analyzes the tension between Brazil's official government opposition to linking trade negotiations with environmental and social standards and the practical reality where Brazilian companies and social actors must adapt to these standards to maintain international competitiveness. It identifies a shift from trade being the primary vector of sustainable development themes in the 1990s to a more complex landscape involving foreign direct investment (FDI), financing, and domestic political arenas. The report highlights the impact of climate change and Amazon deforestation on the agribusiness sector, the role of voluntary and compulsory certifications, and the emergence of 'non-trade concerns' in developed nations as potential barriers to Brazilian exports.

• The Brazilian government has consistently opposed linking trade and investment negotiations to environmental, labor, or social issues, viewing such links as a "agenda do Norte" and a potential tool for protectionism by developed countries.
• Despite official government positions, Brazilian economic agents and social actors are increasingly pressured to engage with sustainable development themes due to international links, unilateral measures by developed governments, and demands from consumers and importers.
• The relationship between agribusiness and Amazon deforestation has made Brazilian agro-industrial sectors a primary target for public and private initiatives in Northern countries to define standards for products and production methods.
• Brazilian transnational companies investing in South America and Africa face new challenges regarding social and environmental impacts, often being required to provide services and social actions that are traditionally the responsibility of the State.
• The vectors linking sustainable development to the international agenda have diversified since the 1990s, moving from a primary focus on trade and trade agreements to include foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and corporate financing mechanisms.
• Developed countries are implementing new technical regulations and 'non-trade concerns' that may act as barriers to Brazilian exports, such as the EU's REACH regulation for chemical substances and proposed carbon taxes on imports.
• The emergence of 'food security' and 'energy security' themes has impacted Brazilian trade, contributing to the 'primarization' of the export profile and increasing the importance of ethanol in the Doha Round negotiations.

APA

Veiga, P. D. M., & Rios, S. P. (2009). Comércio e Desenvolvimento. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_brazil_es.pdf

Chicago

Veiga, Pedro da Motta, and Sandra Polônia Rios. Comércio e Desenvolvimento. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_brazil_es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Veiga |first1=Pedro da Motta |last2=Rios |first2=Sandra Polônia |title=Comércio e Desenvolvimento |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_brazil_es.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{veiga2009comrcio, author = {Veiga, Pedro da Motta and Rios, Sandra Polônia}, title = {{Comércio e Desenvolvimento}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_brazil_es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }