With 210 million inhabitants and a land mass the same size as Europe, Brazil is the seventh largest country in the world. The country’s economy has literally grown out of the world’s largest fertile land and rich natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals. The European Union–Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, which was confirmed in June 2019, will boost new opportunities further.

New horizon for Swedish export & trade

A keyword for Brazil’s current and future trade development is change. After a few turbulent years of impeachment and trials against the country’s leaders, the country has taken on a completely new direction. The traditionally protectionist system with high import duties is changing fundamentally to become more welcoming to foreign influence and trade. The EU-Mercosur agreement will play a major role in this development as trade barriers disappear and open up new possibilities for Swedish companies.

Opportunities for Swedish companies

Brazil’s well-established industry sectors include automotive, mining, agriculture, food, paper and pulp. Sweden already has a significant presence in Brazil, with more than 250 Swedish companies established through Brazilian subsidiaries or local distributors and partners. The health sector is particularly interesting for Swedish companies thanks to increased investments in medical equipment, both in the public and the private healthcare systems.

Possible challenges

Challenges for Swedish companies include corruption avoidance, navigation of the tax system and compliance with an intricate regulatory framework. To minimise the risk, it is important to team up with local and reliable professionals. Trade & Invest commissioner Andreas Rentner explains more about possible obstacles on the Brazilian market below.

How we can help you expand

Brazil is the largest market in South America and a hub for many companies’ regional head offices, and Business Sweden's office in São Paulo is also our largest in South America. We can help you to get your business off the ground by finding suitable partners and providing useful advice, including how to stay away from fraudulent behaviour.