It will not be by chance. It will be by strategy.
The agreement between the European Union and Mercosur radically changes the economic framework between the two sides of the Atlantic. For the first time in decades, South American companies now have privileged access to a European market of 450 million consumers, with clear rules, reduced tariffs, and institutional predictability. And, within this new space of opportunities, Portugal stands out as the most logical, most efficient, and safest entry point.
Brazil, in particular, finds in Portugal a combination that is difficult to replicate in any other European country: a common language, cultural proximity, legal affinity, already consolidated business networks and an increasingly competitive business environment.
But there is more. Much more.
Portugal today offers something that few European economies can present at the same time: political stability, fiscal discipline, a solid financial system, highly qualified talent, controlled operating costs, access to competitive energy and a geographical position that acts as a natural bridge between Europe, Africa, and America.
For a Brazilian company that wants to internationalize, Portugal is not just a test market. It is a launching pad.
Here it can set up its European headquarters, structure operations, create decision-making centers, set up logistics and technological hubs, and from here scale to Spain, France, Germany, Benelux, and the entire European market with great efficiency.
This movement has already begun. It is seen in the technology sector, fintech, industry, energy, real estate, health, logistics and business services. With the new EU-Mercosur agreement, this flow tends to accelerate significantly.
In addition, Portugal offers something increasingly rare in today’s world: predictability. In an international context marked by tariffs, trade tensions, regulatory instability and political volatility, Portugal is positioned as a safe haven within the European Union. This weighs on the decision of any board of directors.
Another decisive factor is the ecosystem. Universities, research centers, incubators, technology parks, industrial clusters, and investment networks are now interconnected and prepared to host large-scale international projects. The country has learned to receive foreign investment, to integrate it and to make it grow.
The EU-Mercosur agreement does not create this reality. He amplifies it.
For Brazil, Portugal is not only the gateway to Europe. It is the natural partner for a new phase of internationalization that is more structured, more sophisticated, and more sustainable.
And for Portugal, this is a historic opportunity to assert itself as an Atlantic economic hub of reference in the 21st century.
The map of global trade is being redrawn. Portugal is in one of the most valuable positions on this new map.