Prime Minister Katainen and Minister Stubb to Brazil
Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen and Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb will visit Brasília, Rio Janeiro and São Paulo between 12 and 17 February. The Ministers will be accompanied by a delegation promoting Finnish exports, representing around 60 Finnish companies operating in the forestry, energy, mining, ICT and metal sectors. There will also be representatives of the finance sector, maritime and offshore technologies and research and education cooperation.
On Tuesday 14 February, Prime Minister Katainen will meet the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff. The discussions will focus on bilateral relations, the economic situation in Europe and Brazil, views on global economy, relations between the EU and Brazil, the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement negotiations, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 and key international issues.
On Monday 13 February in Brasília, Prime Minister Katainen will have meetings with Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Marco Antonio Raupp and Minister of Mines and Energy Edison Lobão. Minister Stubb will have a meeting with Minister of Communications Paulo Bernando. The discussions will focus on questions relating to researcher and student exchange between Finland and Brazil and future prospects of the energy, mining and communications sectors in Brazil. There will also be presentations on the expertise of companies with connections to Finland. On the same day, Ministers Katainen and Stubb will attend a Finland-Brazil business seminar. Prime Minister Katainen will hold a speech on the economic situation in Europe.
On Tuesday 14 February, in addition to the meeting between Prime Minister Katainen and President Rousseff, Ministers Katainen and Stubb will have lunch with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota.
On Wednesday 15 February, the trip will continue to Rio Janeiro with a visit to the Brazilian Development Bank and meetings with business leaders. Prime Minister Katainen and Minister Stubb will have meetings with President of the Brazilian Development Bank BNDES, Luciano Coutinho; Chairman and CEO of the Brazilian conglomerate, EBX Group, Eike Batista; and CEO of the oil company Petrobras, Maria da Graças Foster.
On Thursday 16 February, Ministers Katainen and Stubb will attend a seminar on bioeconomy in São Paulo. Prime Minister Katainen is a keynote speaker at the seminar.
Brazil is Finland's most important trading partner in Latin America. Trade with Brazil accounts for over 1% of all Finnish trade. In recent years, trade has grown and amounted to some EUR 1.2 billion in 2010. The trade balance has been slightly in deficit almost every year. The main export products include power plants, telecommunications equipment, paper, cardboard and various kinds of machines and appliances. Finland imports pulp, ore, scrap metal, ethanol, coffee and foodstuffs from Brazil. Finnair's Embraer jets form a significant part of imports in recent years.
Some 50 companies with interests in Finland operate in Brazil. The combined turnover of these companies (approximately EUR 3 billion) is many times greater than the direct export.
The companies employ more than 20,000 people together. In addition, some 200 Finnish companies have representatives in Brazil.
Inquiries: Antti Vänskä, Special Adviser, International Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2068 or +358 40 513 1458, Antti Timonen, Press Attaché, tel. +358 40 590 7231 or [email protected] and Counsellor Hannele Tikanvaara, tel. +358 40 721 2937, Ministry for Foreign Affairs