LUISS – FGV Europe Workshop

15 October 2026 | 15:00
LUISS Institute for European Analysis and Policy (LEAP) – Aula Toti, Viale Romania 32, Rome

The LUISS Institute for European Analysis and Policy (LEAP) and FGV Europe will host a high-level workshop on “New Perspectives of Strategic and Economic Cooperation between Brazil and Italy in the Context of the EU–MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement.”

The event will bring together policymakers, diplomats, academics, business representatives and trade experts to discuss the strategic, economic and institutional implications of the EU–MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement, with a particular focus on its relevance for Brazil–Italy relations and broader EU–Latin America cooperation.

Against a backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation, supply-chain diversification, sustainability challenges and renewed industrial policy, the EU–MERCOSUR Agreement has acquired increasing strategic importance for both Europe and Latin America. The workshop will explore how the agreement can contribute to greater trade and investment, regulatory cooperation, industrial competitiveness and more integrated and resilient supply chains.

Key discussions

The programme will open with a keynote discussion on the strategic relevance of the EU–MERCOSUR Agreement in the current geopolitical context, including its ratification prospects and political economy considerations.

The first session, “Opportunities and Challenges of the FTA: Trade and Investments,” will examine trade flows, market access and investment prospects, as well as opportunities and challenges for European, Italian and Brazilian businesses.

The second session, “Industrial Policy Implications of the FTA: Building EU–MERCOSUR Integrated Supply Chains,” will focus on sustainability and regulatory convergence, industrial cooperation, critical raw materials, strategic autonomy and the role of development finance in strengthening EU–MERCOSUR supply-chain integration.

The workshop will also serve as an opportunity to foster dialogue between European and Latin American stakeholders and contribute to the broader debate on the future of open, rules-based international trade.

High-level participation

The programme features contributions from representatives of the European Commission, the Brazilian and Italian diplomatic services, the Italian Parliament, academia, business and international financial institutions.

Confirmed participants include:

• Valentina Meliciani — LEAP Director
• Cesar Cunha Campos — Director, FGV Europe
• Renato Mosca de Souza — Ambassador of Brazil in Italy
• Paolo Garzotti — Head of Unit, Trade Relations with Latin America, European Union
• Pedro Miguel da Costa Silva — Ambassador of Brazil to the European Union
• Alberto Petrangeli — Ministro Consigliere e Vice Capo Missione, Ambasciata d’Italia a Brasilia
• Lisandra Flach — Director, IFO Center for International Economics; Professor of Economics, LMU Munich
• Jorge Arbache — Professor of Economics, University of Brasilia; Senior Fellow, Institute for Climate and Society
• Paolo Guerrieri — Senior Fellow, LEAP Luiss; Visiting Professor, Paris School of International Affairs
• Alessandro Fontana — Director, Centro Studi Confindustria
• Alberto Castronovo — Head of Internationalisation Unit, Cabinet of the Minister, Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy
• Anabel Marin — Institute of Development Studies
• Alberto Carriero — Responsabile Strategie industria, energia, innovazione e iniziative internazionali, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
• Natascha Nunes da Cunha — Lead Mining and Critical Raw Materials Specialist, Development Finance and International Cooperation Institutions
• Maria Savona — Professor of Economics, Luiss; Scientific Council, LEAP
• Michele Valensise — President, Istituto Affari Internazionali; Former Italian Ambassador

The event will open with remarks by Valentina Meliciani, LEAP Director; Cesar Cunha Campos, Director of FGV Europe; and Renato Mosca de Souza, Ambassador of Brazil in Italy.

The closing remarks will be delivered by Michele Valensise, President of the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and former Italian Ambassador.

Organisers

The workshop is organised by:

LUISS Institute for European Analysis and Policy (LEAP) and FGV Europe – Fundação Getulio Vargas

Assess here the complete Agenda

Join us! The event is free but registration is needed. Register here.