Brazil regrets Britain's decision to leave the EU

This Friday (Jun. 24), Brazil's Foreign Minister José Serra said he regretted the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (EU). For him, the ideal would be to have "a strengthened EU". The minister justified Britain's decision on the grounds of a nationalism based on the argument that immigration restrictions would help protect English employments.

"We regret that this has happened. Many surveys conducted in recent months indicated that, for England, it would not be a good deal to leave the European Union," the minister said in a radio interview. Regretting that the majority of Britons have voted for the exit, "even by presenting an argument that is not so sound, that is the immigration issue."

In Serra's view, the problems related to immigrants do not arise from the EU. "Migrations that could bring problems to England are from other territories of the world, and they already have the autonomy to restrict [people's entry]." For him, the British vote was "rather emotional."

Serra noted EU's market power and pointed out that Brazil will develop a good relationship with the United Kingdom and England, which he described as one of the least protectionist countries on the continent, in terms of market trading.

"[Around] 57% of Britain's GDP is formed by trade, imports and exports. Their openness [to other countries] is really amazing and we will work towards a direct agreement with the UK, which will be easier to negotiate than with the EU as a bloc... We will try to have Brazil within the new framework and to protect our interests," said the minister.

In an official note, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations (Itamaraty) adopted a less opinionated tone and spoke "about the outcome" of the referendum, saying that it believes that the European integration will continue to be promoted, despite UK's exit from the bloc.

"The Brazilian government treated with respect the result of the referendum on the UK's stay in the European Union. Brazil is confident that this decision will not stop the European integration process, nor its openness to the world, which is and will continue to be the UK's and EU's marked characteristics. We equally believe that that all efforts will be taken to ensure a smooth and stable transition," read the statement.

Regarding Brazil's trade ties with the UK and the EU, Itamaraty said that "Brazil has a strategic partnership with the EU that will celebrate 10 years in 2017 and covers agreements in 32 different sectors. [...] As for the traditional and close relationship between Brazil and the United Kingdom [...], we will continue to cooperate in a broad range of common interests, to strengthen, in a new way, the bilateral trade relationship and to promote mutual investments."

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta