Representatives from public institutions, international organisations and the private sector, as well as experts from Brazil and the European Union, met in Brussels on 16 June at the high-level event “Strategies to promote sustainable, innovative, science-based and deforestation-free value chains”, organised as part of CONEXIÓNVerde+, an annual event of the AL-INVEST Verde programme.
The meeting provided a forum for dialogue to exchange experiences on sustainability policies and traceability mechanisms applied to agri-food supply chains, as well as to explore solutions that promote more sustainable production and trade.
The institutional opening was attended by Félix Fernández-Shaw, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA); Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, Brazil’s ambassador to the European Union; and Sibelle de Andrade, special adviser to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Throughout the day, representatives from Brazilian ministries, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, state governments, producer organisations and companies shared their experiences regarding the implementation of traceability systems, environmental control mechanisms and sustainable production models in strategic sectors such as beef, soya, coffee, cocoa and bioeconomy products.
The event highlighted Brazil’s role as a key player in the global production and trade of agricultural commodities, as well as the progress made in the country to strengthen transparency and monitoring of supply chains. Participants discussed public and private initiatives aimed at meeting international sustainability requirements, including the European Union’s Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR).
During the event, some of the results achieved through AL-INVEST Verde in Brazil were presented, including support for the roll-out of the Selo Verde platform in various states across the country and the strengthening of the Rotas Rurais platform in the state of São Paulo. These tools help to improve traceability and facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices by producers, businesses and authorities.
The programme’s cooperation with Brazil’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office was also highlighted, aimed at strengthening initiatives such as ‘Carne Legal’ and the ‘Grãos Protocol’, which are designed to promote deforestation-free beef and soya value chains.
The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperation between the European Union and Brazil in promoting value chains that combine environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness and social inclusion. They also emphasised the role of innovation, digitalisation and science as key tools for enhancing transparency and access to international markets.
The event formed part of the AL-INVEST Verde closing activities and served to highlight the progress made by the programme in recent years in supporting the transition towards more sustainable, deforestation-free production models in Latin America.
About AL-INVEST Verde
AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance for strengthening public policies and multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policy and regulatory frameworks.