Brazil, European Union strengthen cooperation in digital governance, reaffirm legal frameworks for digital area

The Brazilian Government and the European Union reaffirmed their legal frameworks for the digital area during the 13th Edition of the Bilateral Digital Dialog. The meeting took place on Wednesday, February 12, in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The solid foundation laid by the Brazil - European Union Strategic Partnership allowed for the approval of the bilateral Work Plan for the 2025-2026 biennium, which contemplates the segments of connectivity, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, governance and data economy, and electronic government, among others.

In a joint statement issued by Brazil and the European Union, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to promoting meaningful digital development and facilitating a favorable environment for innovation in the digital area, as well as upholding the democratic principles and human rights. The document highlights that the 13th Edition of the Dialog occurred in a critical moment marked by unprecedentedly fast advancements in digital technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms, which come with both a transformative power and associated regulatory challenges and ethical concerns.

The Brazilian delegation was formed of 12 in-person representatives from the ministries of Foreign Affairs (Relações Exteriores /MRE); Science, Technology, and Innovation (Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação /MCTI); Management and Innovation in Public Services (Gestão e Inovação em Serviços Públicos /MGI); Social Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (Secretaria de Comunicação Social da Presidência da República/SECOM-PR) ; Special Advisory to the President of the Republic (Assessoria Especial do Presidente da República/AES-PR); the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia /IBICT); and the National Data Protection Authority (Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados /ANPD), in addition to other agencies whose representatives participated online, such as the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria, Comércio e Serviços /MDIC); the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública /MJSP); and the National Telecommunications Agency (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações/ANATEL).

EXCHANGE — The European Union and Brazil agreed to enhance the exchange of experiences on issues such as data governance, the data economy (including the development of high-performance computing), governance and AI regulation, the implementation of digital regulations, and connectivity-related opportunities and challenges.

Both sides recognize the critical role of connectivity in the digital era and the significant challenges that remain in expanding access to services at fair prices, particularly in remote and underserved areas. For this reason, they emphasized the importance of collaborating to promote robust regulatory frameworks for the digital domain and inclusive global governance of digital technologies.

ADVANCEMENT — The statement also indicates that Brazil and the European Union will advance bilateral cooperation on digital governance and continue working with technology companies and other stakeholders to increase transparency, accountability, and respect for fundamental rights. To this end, they will closely monitor the implementation of the United Nations Global Digital Compact.

The cooperation will also continue in multilateral forums, in line with the G20 Ministerial Declaration of Maceió on Digital Inclusion for All, which aims to foster information integrity in digital environments and build trust in the digital economy, ensuring safe and reliable digital spaces aligned with democratic values.

Finally, both parties emphasized the need for investment in mechanisms that support the development of open-source technologies to expand citizens’ access to innovative services. They also agreed to build partnerships and exchange experiences in this area.