Fundação Getulio Vargas recently held an international workshop in Sao Paulo called “The Law and Politics of Sustainability Standards in Trade Relations Between Europe and Latin America.” The event was organized by Rodrigo Fagundes Cezar, a professor at the School of International Relations (FGV RI) and coordinator of FGV’s Trade Policy and Sustainability Research Group, in partnership with Charlotte Sieber-Gasser of the Center for Trade and Economic Integration at the Geneva Graduate Institute.

The event aimed to discuss recent developments in the area of international trade and sustainability, focusing on the possible impacts of the European Union’s anti-deforestation law on Brazil and discussion of the legality and legitimacy of these measures from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The meeting brought together European and Latin American researchers from FGV, Peruvian Catholic University, the Geneva Graduate Institute, Pará Federal University, the University of Lugano, the University of Basel, the University of Bath, the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and the University of Amsterdam, among other institutions. There were also experts from law firms specializing in international trade and a representative of the Brazilian government.

Professor Paula Wojcikiewicz Almeida, coordinator of the Center for Global Law Research (CPDG) at the FGV Rio de Janeiro Law School, took part in the debate. In her speech, she addressed the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), providing an update on the regulation and the challenges involved in its indirect implementation in Brazil.

One of the main points of concern mentioned by Almeida was the current stage of development of the EUDR, given delays in the publication of various documents and support systems for executing it. She also pointed out that although Brazil has a robust regulatory framework and monitoring and implementation mechanisms, there is still a lot of uncertainty as to whether these instruments will be recognized, given the vagueness of the criteria adopted by the regulation.

According to Rodrigo Fagundes Cezar, “the event was an opportunity to strengthen an international collaborative network to discuss measures with as yet uncertain impacts on the Global South.” The presentations will be compiled in a book.

During the event, Celso Castro, who is the dean of Fundação Getulio Vargas’ School of Social Sciences (FGV CPDOC) and School of International Relations (FGV RI), awarded a presentation scholarship to Rayssa Murakami, a young researcher from the Amazon region who is doing a doctorate in sustainable development at Pará Federal University.

Here’s what some participants and speakers had to say about the event:

• “The workshop was an important opportunity to hear, discuss and be heard about the impacts of European trade and environmental policies on Latin American countries.” Rayssa Murakami, speaker, Pará Federal University
   
• “The seminar was a great opportunity to hear experts’ perspectives on emerging dynamics and trends in international trade, especially interactions with the sustainability agenda. The policies and discussions under way in Europe deserve attention and were dealt with in a technical and in-depth manner. Another highlight was learning about the research and efforts in progress in academia. I hope that initiatives such as this seminar become a regular occurrence.” Participant, Jonathan Rocha, Sao Paulo State Federation of Industry (FIESP)
   
• “The workshop brought together a highly qualified group of academics and professionals in the field of trade and sustainability, which allowed for high-level engagement between the participants. The workshop clearly showed diversity, but also a convergence of opinions on the subject. For the Brazilian government, it is important for the sustainability attributes of Brazil’s production and economy to be considered in trade measures with environmental justifications, such as the European Union’s anti-deforestation law and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. A new narrative needs to gain ground in the international debate. And this narrative, to be fair, must include clean energy supplies, preserved native forests and the people who depend on these forests to survive.” Speaker, Heloisa Pereira, Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade

For more information about FGV RI, click here.