Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Diplomatic relations between Brazil and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg were established in 1911. Historically, Luxembourg stood out as an important partner in Brazil’s industrialization through the creation of the Belgo-Mineira Steel Company, today the Indian-Luxembourgish company ArcelorMittal. Despite its small territory and population, the partnership with Luxembourg is significant for Brazil—both because of Luxembourg’s prominent role in shaping positions within the European Union and because of the presence of an important Portuguese-speaking community (about 16% of Luxembourg’s population is of Portuguese origin).

In 2017, Ambassador Carlo Krieger presented his letters of credence nd became the first resident ambassador of the Grand Duchy in Brazil, following the creation of Luxembourg’s first and, so far, only resident embassy in Latin America. Considering the small number of diplomatic missions maintained by the Grand Duchy, the decision underscored the importance the country attributes to Brazil. The Brazilian Embassy in Brussels is concurrently responsible for relations with Luxembourg.

In the political sphere, Grand Duke Henri paid a State visit to Brazil in November 2007, accompanied by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. The visit program included stops in Ouro Preto, São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, and Vitória. The Grand Duke also visited Brazil in 2012, for the Rio+20 Conference, and in 2016, for the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Visits to Brazil by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, in 2013, 2016, and 2018 also contributed to strengthening bilateral ties.

In November 2014, the Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg organized a multisector political and business mission to Brazil. The Luxembourg delegation, headed by the Hereditary Grand Duke, Prince Guillaume, and led by Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna, held a seminar in São Paulo on the economic and financial aspects of the bilateral relationship. The visit culminated in a meeting between the Hereditary Grand Duke and then Vice President Michel Temer.

In May 2024, Minister Mauro Vieira held a meeting with Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel, on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Meeting in Paris. They reviewed economic issues, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and negotiations for the MERCOSUR–European Union agreement.

More recently, Luxembourg has come to occupy a prominent place as a source of foreign investment. Luxembourg’s financial center manages $4 trillion in investments. Investment funds based in Luxembourg channel, for instance, about one-quarter of all global funds invested in China and about three-quarters of European funds that invest in the Asian country.

In Brazil, using the immediate investing country criterion, Luxembourg maintained investments of $81.3 billion in 2022 (the 3rd largest). According to the ultimate investing country criterion, the amount is $19.3 billion (15th largest). The main sectors benefiting from investments originating from Luxembourg are: oil and natural gas extraction, telecommunications, food products, metallurgy, metallic mineral extraction, and pulp and paper products.

Additionally, Luxembourg is the fifth-largest recipient of Brazilian direct investments. In 2022, according to the Central Bank, the stock of Brazilian investments in the Grand Duchy reached $33 billion.

In the commercial sphere, Brazil is Luxembourg’s main trading partner in Latin America, with bilateral trade reaching $119.8 million in 2023. Brazilian exports to Luxembourg totaled $73 million, while imports from Luxembourg amounted to  $46.8 million. Brazil had a trade surplus of $26.2 million. Brazil’s main exports were crude petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals, and fuel oils. Its import basket consists of special yarns, special fabrics and related products; rubber tires; and plastic sheets, films, and similar products.

In Luxembourg, the Brazilian community is estimated at 10,000 citizens, assisted by the Consulate General of Brazil in Brussels. Brazil has an Honorary Consul in Luxembourg. The Grand Duchy has an Embassy in Brasília, an Honorary Consulate General in São Paulo, and Honorary Consulates in Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, and Recife.

Chronology of bilateral relations

1911 – Establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Luxembourg.

1942 – Visit to Brazil by the Hereditary Grand Duke Jean.

1965 – Official visit to Brazil by Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Charlotte.

1990 – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Cooperation, Jacques F. Poos, headed the Luxembourg Special Mission to the inauguration ceremonies of President Fernando Collor de Mello.

1992 – Prime Minister Jacques Santer headed the Luxembourg Delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro.

2001 – Visit to Brazil by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Lydie Polfer.

2007 – Visit to Brazil by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

2007 – Visit to Brazil by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.

2012 – Visit to Brazil by Grand Duke Henri for the Rio+20 Conference.

2013 – Visit to Brazil by Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

2014 – Visit to Brazil by the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, accompanied by Princess Stéphanie de Lannoy and Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna.

2016 – Visit to Brazil by Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

2016 – Visit to Brazil by Grand Duke Henri for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.

2018 – Inauguration of the Embassy of the Grand Duchy in Brasília, the first in Latin America, with the presence of Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

2018 – Visit to Brazil by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Étienne Schneider.

2024 – Meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira and Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel, on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Meeting in Paris.