FPA says critical minerals policy could strengthen trade negotiations between Brazil and the US.

The approval of the National Policy for Critical and Strategic Minerals could strengthen negotiations between Brazil and the United States regarding the 25% and 12.5% tariff increases and enhance security for investments in the mineral sector. This assessment comes from federal deputy Zé Silva (União Brasil-MG), who advocates for the proposal as one of the priorities of the National Congress upon its return from the parliamentary recess.

Project could strengthen dialogue with the United States.

According to the congressman, the creation of a national policy for critical minerals fulfills a demand from the US government for greater legal certainty for investments in Brazil. He believes the measure could also boost negotiations in the current trade scenario between the two countries and agreements involving the production of rare earth elements. “On the contrary, I think that Brazil, having a national policy approved and sanctioned by the president, provides one of the requirements that the American president wants so much from Brazil, which is investment security and negotiating with Brazil this investment security, legal security.” Zé Silva stated that the United States' interest is related to diversifying the global supply chain of these minerals, currently concentrated in China. “In fact, the United States wants to create a counterpoint to China.”

Strategic minerals are on the Congressional agenda.

In addition to international negotiations, the congressman believes the bill will be one of the main items on the agenda for the resumption of legislative work. According to him, the proposal is strategic for the country and received support during its processing. “For me, it will be the most important item on the agenda: the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals.” The congressman recalled that the text was approved with favorable votes from different parties, regardless of political polarization. “All parties voted in favor, regardless of polarization.”

Agribusiness will also remain among the priorities.

Although he highlighted the proposal on critical minerals as the main agenda item for the semester, Zé Silva stated that Congress will continue debating measures to address the indebtedness of agribusiness. In his assessment, the provisional measure issued by the government was important, but insufficient to resolve the situation of rural producers. "The government made an agreement and published the provisional measure, but we know that it alone was not enough; supplementary measures are needed." According to the congressman, the concern is to avoid impacts on the next harvest, given the reduction in investments in technology, geopolitical conflicts, and the difficulties faced by the sector.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.