Holland wants partnership in the sector of biofuels
Valor Econômico - 04/11/2008
Holland has strong interest in cooperate with Brazil in the sector of biofuels and wants to transform the port of Roterdam into a distribution point for Brazilian ethanol in Europe, informed the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade, Frank Heemskerk, to Valor by telephone just after meeting president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Amsterdam. The European goals for the increase in use of biofuels guarantee good future perspectives for sugar cane ethanol, affirmed the Dutch Minister. Today he signs an understanding and cooperation memorandum with Brazil related to the sector of biofuels, which foresees the work of the two countries in common projects in third-party markets and in the so-called second generation ethanol, produced from cellulose. The two countries are also expected to search for "sustainable" ethanol production mechanisms together, said the minister. Next week, Heemskerk will come to Brazil, together with the mayor of Roterdam Ivo Opstelten and executives from nearly 30 Dutch companies interested in the sectors of transportation, energy, and logistic. « Holand has much to offer in infrastructure and construction of ports to meet Brazil's ambition in searching for cooperation to PAC », guaranted the Dutch minister. Last year, Holland resumed the role of biggest foreign investor in Brazil, position which it had lost to the United States, with investments of US$ 8.1 billion, almost 24% of the total of direct foreign investments. "In the next years, we should increase or, at least keep, the current levels of investments in Brazil", assured the Dutch Minister. Although relevant for Brazil, the total Dutch investments in the country represents only 1.15% of Holland's total investments in the world, which leads the Brazilian government into believing that it is necessary to attract the Dutch private sector with the perspectives of investment of the Program of Growth Acceleration (PAC).