Brazil Senate urges government to submit Mercosur-EFTA deal for ratification

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Nelsinho Trad, argued in a meeting with diplomats and business representatives from Switzerland and Norway that the Brazilian government should move quickly to send Congress the bill ratifying the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Free Trade Association, or EFTA. The concern is that Brazil’s approaching elections, and the resulting risk of a slowdown in congressional activity, could delay consideration of the measure.

“As long as the matter is still in the hands of the executive branch, every effort should be focused on speeding up the arrival of the Mercosur-EFTA agreement in Congress,” he said during a meeting last week, according to Valor.

Trad told those attending that the issue was a “light” and “positive” one and should not face obstacles in either legislative chamber. He said it is now up to the government to prioritize sending the measure to Congress.

EFTA is made up of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, which together represent a market of about 14 million consumers for Brazilian products. The agreement with Mercosur was signed in September last year.

Datamar intelligence reveals that, during January and February 2026, Brazil handled 958 TEUs in inbound shipments from these four member states. The following identifies the leading commodities driving Brazilian import demand in early 2026:

Top Imports from EFTA | Jan–Feb 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

In addition to diplomats, the meeting included representatives of companies based in EFTA countries that plan to expand investments in Brazil.

According to Valor, the Brazilian government expects to send the Mercosur-EFTA text to Congress by the end of May. Before it can be submitted to lawmakers, the agreement must be translated into the languages of all countries involved.

In recent months, Congress has prioritized voting on the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, leaving the EFTA treaty on the sidelines. Like the Mercosur-EU deal, the agreement with EFTA must be approved by Brazilian lawmakers to take effect domestically, although legislative approval is not required from the other Mercosur countries.

Government expects Mercosur-EFTA text to reach Congress by end-May

The expected arrival of the text in May, so close to the election calendar, has raised concerns that domestic ratification could be pushed back until after the elections in November. From June onward, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate typically begin to empty out as lawmakers turn their attention to campaigning in their home states.

According to one of the companies represented at the meeting, the possible delay in domestic ratification “ends up unnerving multinational investors.” The main sectors expected to benefit are pharmaceuticals, seafood, energy and maritime.

The Norwegian and Swiss parliaments have not yet ratified the agreement. In Switzerland’s case, the text must not only be approved by parliament, but also submitted to a popular referendum.

In a statement, the Norwegian embassy said it is confident in a “swift ratification” of the agreement, based on assurances it has received from the Brazilian government. The Swiss embassy said it hopes the process will “move forward as quickly as possible, while respecting Brazil’s institutional procedures and deadlines.” Brazil’s presidential chief of staff’s office and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services did not respond.

Source: Valor Econômico

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