Australia–Brazil relations

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Australia–Brazil relations

Brazil

Australia

Australia–Brazil relations are foreign relations between Brazil and Australia. Brazil has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney. Australia has an embassy in Brasília and consulates in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazil and Australia are the largest countries in the Southern Hemisphere.

History

Australia opened up its first diplomatic mission in Rio de Janeiro in 1945. Brazil opened its first in Canberra the next year.

In August 2008, the Brazilian Foreign Relations minister, Celso Amorim, visited Australia and met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The two countries announced that they will negotiate joint actions in the areas of trade; investments; agriculture; mining; energy; science and technology; education; sports and culture. There are also cooperation possibilities between Brazil' s agricultural research agency Embrapa and CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), as well as between CNPq (technological and scientific development council) and Australian Research Council. [1]

Trade

File:ABS-5439.0-InternationalMerchandiseImportsAustralia-CountryCountryGroupsCustomsValue-Brazil-A1829332K.svg
Monthly value of Brazilian merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988

Trade is sizable between the two nations. Two-way merchandise trade between Australia and Brazil was A$1.98 billion in 2007–08. Merchandise trade comprised exports of A$938 million to Brazil and imports of A$1,040 million from Brazil. Major exports to Brazil included coal, nickel ores and medicaments,[citation needed] as well as motor vehicles—the Holden Commodore has been sold by General Motors do Brasil as the Chevrolet Omega since 1999.[2] Major imports from Brazil included aircraft, animal feed, pulp and waste paper, fruit juices and pig iron.[3]

International cooperation

File:Julia Gillard and Dilma Rousseff.jpg
Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia with President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil in November 2011

The two countries are leading members of the Cairns Group and it is in this bloc, negotiations on agriculture on a world stage are done such as with the European Union, World Trade Organisation and United States.

From 2002, Brazil and Australia together with Thailand and Fiji[4] complained to the World Trade Organisation and argued that the European Union broke WTO farm rules by exceeding limits on export subsidies laid down under the trade body's 1994 Agreement on Agriculture.[5] The complaint was upheld by the WTO.[6] The decision will benefit sugar producers in the affected countries.[7]

Brazil and Australia were among the seven key nations involved in the last WTO negotiations known as the Doha Development Round.[8]

Tourism

Brazil was the most popular South American destination for Australian travellers, with more than 60,000 people flying between the two countries in 2007. As a result, in 2008, the Australian Government agreed to new aviation agreements which meant airlines in Brazil and Australia will have their entitlements doubled to 14 weekly passenger flights and seven freight services. Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said "The removal of most restrictions on air routes between Australia and Brazil will, over time, provide more choice for travellers ... and allow our airlines to take advantage of the rapidly growing economies of South America."[9]

See also

References

  1. FOREIGN TRADE: Brazil, Australia plan bilateral cooperation InvestNews – Tempo Real 27 August 2008
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  3. http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/brazil/brazil_brief.html
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  6. http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-08/05/content_359264.htm
  7. WTO RULING IS A SWEET VICTORY Miami Herald – April 29, 2005
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