The Ministry of Industry, Foreign and Services Trade (MDIC) and the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK, announced on Thursday (4), the launch of a call for companiesoperating in technology and innovation two countries . 

The call will be focused on technology development projects to  smart cities and  sustainable urban environments. The action involves internet of things, big data ,  smart grids , multimodal transport technologies and traffic control, clean energy, control and use of water and infrastructure  blue-green.  

Bilateral cooperation memorandum was signed by Minister Marcos Pereira and the Minister of Commerce and UK Investment, Mark Price.  The initiative will be financing the Newton Fund , British fund for scientific development, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES ) and the Brazilian Company for Industrial Innovation (Embrapii). 

"For a number of activities that involve scientific research, how to plan smart cities and develop clean energy, international collaboration is crucial. With partnerships among the best researchers from Brazil and the United Kingdom, we will be better prepared to face the challenges of the world and improve the lives of millions of people, "Price said.  

Bilateral trade relations  

The Minister Mark Price said the window of opportunity to strengthen bilateral actions of trade between Brazil and the United Kingdom, following a decision of his country to leave the European Union. 

Marcos Pereira took advantage of the visit of Price to demonstrate the interest in deepening the bilateral dialogue. "I thank the UK initiative to start by Brazil talks to expand trade with South America. I think important to promptly begin initiatives to boost trade and investment flows between our countries."  

Price confirmed that the output of the United Kingdom of the European Union is a fact. He reaffirmed the importance of Brazil as one of the major trading partners of the continent and hopes that the two countries further deepen their trade and investment relations.  

Trade exchange 

In 2015, Brazil exported to the UK market about $ 2.9 billion in goods and imported $ 2.8 billion, with a surplus of US $ 106 million to Brazil. 

The main Brazilian products exported to the United Kingdom last year were gold, iron ore, coffee, soy and meat. We bought in 2015 from the UK, especially medicines for human and veterinary medicine, automobiles, insecticides and heterocyclic compounds. 

The United Kingdom was 15 ° main market for exports and 14 for Brazilian imports last year. The expectation is to increase bilateral trade from the strengthening of relations between the two countries.