Brazil, EU sign digital alliance and child protection pact

Brazil and the European Union have forged a digital alliance, aiming to bolster cooperation in critical areas such as data governance, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and online connectivity. The agreement, signed in Brasilia, also establishes a framework for protecting children on the internet.

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In a moment when technology increasingly influences economic power and also geopolitics, the European Union and Brazil choose to work more closely together as trusted partners.

European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, stating, "In a moment when technology increasingly influences economic power and also geopolitics, the European Union and Brazil choose to work more closely together as trusted partners." She emphasized that technological sovereignty is intertwined with security, and Europe must avoid strategic dependencies.

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When we talk about technology, we are also talking about security. Both aspects are deeply connected. Precisely for this reason, it is important for Europe to avoid dependencies that could represent strategic risks.

Brazilian Minister of Management and Public Service Innovation, Esther Dweck, echoed these sentiments, underscoring the alliance's "geopolitical dimension." She views the partnership as essential for defending common strategic priorities in multilateral forums, including the World Summit on the Information Society and the UN's Global Digital Compact. Virkkunen described Brazil as a "key partner" and one of the world's leading digital economies, whose growing global influence is vital in shaping future technologies.

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The geopolitical dimension of the alliance is essential for defending common strategic priorities in multilateral spaces, with special attention to the World Summit on the Information Society, the Internet Governance Forum, and the United Nations Global Digital Compact.

Beyond digital governance, the agreement includes a cooperation pact between the European Commission and Brazil's National Data Protection Agency to enhance online child protection. Both officials stressed the need for a more equitable distribution of digital transformation benefits while upholding human rights. Dweck noted that while Brazil is a major consumer of digital technologies, its control over key infrastructures remains limited. Virkkunen clarified that technological sovereignty does not equate to protectionism but rather requires innovation capacity and an ethical culture prioritizing human needs and dignity.

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Brazil is a key partner, as one of the world's leading digital economies, whose increasingly influential voice in global debates has a role to play in shaping the technologies of the future.