Brazil scored a diplomatic and commercial win on 14 January when the Council of the European Union voted by qualified majority to approve the long-awaited EU-Mercosur Association Agreement. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin highlighted the breakthrough during a government media briefing, stressing that the pact will create one of the world’s largest free-trade areas and deepen ties between Brazil and the 27-nation bloc.
While headlines focus on tariff cuts for soy, cars and pharmaceuticals, the agreement also contains a modern services-chapter that streamlines short-term entry for business visitors, intra-corporate transferees and contract service suppliers. Once the text is ratified by the European Parliament and Mercosur legislatures, executives from both regions will benefit from clearer definitions of “business visitor” activities, longer permissible stays (up to 90 days per entry, extendable to 180 days per year) and fast-track consular processing for certain professional categories.
To capitalise on the new rules as soon as they take effect, companies may consider partnering with VisaHQ, a global visa-facilitation service that streamlines Brazilian and EU business-travel applications, offers real-time compliance updates and manages courier logistics. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/.
![EU Council green-lights Mercosur accord, opening door to smoother Brazil-Europe business travel]()
Global-mobility managers should map out which entities in the corporate group will qualify for the new “investor” and “senior personnel” provisions. These carve-outs exempt key staff from local labour-market tests and—crucially—cap processing times at 30 days. Companies with EU-based project teams bound for Brazil’s energy and infrastructure sectors will welcome the possibility of multi-entry visas valid for the life of the contract.
Brazilian assignees heading to Europe stand to gain as well. Several EU states, including Germany and Spain, have signalled they will align national regulations to allow Brazilians on assignment to begin work immediately after arrival instead of waiting for residence-card issuance. That change could shave weeks off project timelines.
Next steps: the European Parliament will debate the text in early February, with a plenary vote expected in March. In parallel, Brazil’s Congress is preparing an implementing bill that the Executive hopes to pass before the July recess. Mobility teams should monitor both tracks; only once all parties deposit their instruments of ratification will the new mobility commitments enter into force—potentially by Q4 2026.
While headlines focus on tariff cuts for soy, cars and pharmaceuticals, the agreement also contains a modern services-chapter that streamlines short-term entry for business visitors, intra-corporate transferees and contract service suppliers. Once the text is ratified by the European Parliament and Mercosur legislatures, executives from both regions will benefit from clearer definitions of “business visitor” activities, longer permissible stays (up to 90 days per entry, extendable to 180 days per year) and fast-track consular processing for certain professional categories.
To capitalise on the new rules as soon as they take effect, companies may consider partnering with VisaHQ, a global visa-facilitation service that streamlines Brazilian and EU business-travel applications, offers real-time compliance updates and manages courier logistics. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/.
Global-mobility managers should map out which entities in the corporate group will qualify for the new “investor” and “senior personnel” provisions. These carve-outs exempt key staff from local labour-market tests and—crucially—cap processing times at 30 days. Companies with EU-based project teams bound for Brazil’s energy and infrastructure sectors will welcome the possibility of multi-entry visas valid for the life of the contract.
Brazilian assignees heading to Europe stand to gain as well. Several EU states, including Germany and Spain, have signalled they will align national regulations to allow Brazilians on assignment to begin work immediately after arrival instead of waiting for residence-card issuance. That change could shave weeks off project timelines.
Next steps: the European Parliament will debate the text in early February, with a plenary vote expected in March. In parallel, Brazil’s Congress is preparing an implementing bill that the Executive hopes to pass before the July recess. Mobility teams should monitor both tracks; only once all parties deposit their instruments of ratification will the new mobility commitments enter into force—potentially by Q4 2026.
