The meeting will be attended by European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Assistant Director for the Americas of the French Foreign Ministry Jean-Marc Laforêt, and two representatives of the Council of the EU, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte and Blanca Ausejo. The Brazilian delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.

The ministerial meeting will be devoted to the exchange of views on the strategic partnership between the EU and Brazil and Brazil’s draft Joint Action Plan. Discussion will also be held on the topics of common interest, particularly those of the V EU-LAC Summit in Lima, e.g. combating poverty, climate change and the need for energy security. The interlocutors will discuss topical international issues such as the Middle East, the UN and the Latin America situation.