Relationship dossier
Brazil
France
Relationship assessment
A broad strategic partnership combines defense and cross-border cooperation with recurring disputes over environmental and trade policy.
Brazil toward France
+35Brazil has pursued defense cooperation with France through its submarine program, which involves French technology and industrial participation. The Brazilian government has also maintained a strategic partnership with France, while disputes over Amazon policy have periodically strained relations.
France toward Brazil
+35France has cooperated with Brazil on defense and strategic matters, including through French industrial participation in Brazil’s submarine program. French policy has also generated friction, notably France’s objections to the EU-Mercosur agreement on environmental grounds and disputes over Amazon policy.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship has a durable strategic framework and concrete defense cooperation, complemented by engagement on cross-border and international issues. These ties coexist with recurring disagreements over Amazon policy and the EU-Mercosur agreement, making the partnership substantial but not uniformly aligned.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Brazil and France maintain a strategic partnership encompassing defense, political dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues. Brazil’s submarine program has involved substantial cooperation with French industry, while the two governments have also worked together on cross-border matters involving French Guiana. Relations have faced visible friction over Amazon policy and France’s position on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
Areas of tension
- Disagreements over Amazon protection, sovereignty and international involvement.
- French objections to the EU-Mercosur agreement on environmental grounds.
Key developments
Brazil and France established a strategic partnership, expanding cooperation in areas including defense and political dialogue.
Brazil’s submarine program began involving French technology and industrial participation.
Public disputes over Amazon policy strained relations between the governments.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral defense and strategic cooperation are unclear.
- The prospects for resolving disagreements over Amazon policy and the EU-Mercosur agreement are uncertain.