Investments and ongoing business activities can involve regulatory requirements beyond incorporation and the execution of commercial contracts. The relevant questions vary with the activity, the funding arrangements and the people who will represent or work for the business. We advise European companies on identifying these dependencies and organising the Brazilian legal work around them. This includes coordination of foreign investment information and mobility matters with the wider corporate and employment mandate. The initial assessment establishes what the business intends to do, where it will operate and which decisions or approvals remain outstanding.
What we do
- Mapping of regulatory questions associated with the proposed Brazilian activity.
- Advice on foreign investment information and Central Bank reporting matters.
- Coordination of corporate records with investment and financing documentation.
- Analysis of residence and work authorisation pathways for executives.
- Assessment of documentation for foreign personnel and local representation.
- Coordination with sector advisers and the client’s corporate and HR teams.
Experience in this practice
An overview of our work, described without identifying clients or individual transactions.
- Regulatory advice for international companies investing and operating in Brazil, including businesses in regulated sectors and their commercial activities.
- Support on foreign investment information, corporate representation and the coordination of regulatory matters with the company’s wider legal needs.
- Advice on the documentation and legal questions associated with foreign executives and professionals assigned to work in Brazilian business operations.
Why it matters for European companies
Foreign direct investment reporting is handled through the Central Bank’s SCE-IED system, the current framework associated with the former RDE-IED terminology. The information required depends on the transaction and applicable reporting rules. Mobility analysis separately considers the proposed activity and the relevant residence or work authorisation pathway. Neither a company registration nor an investment transfer should be treated as automatic authorisation for an individual to work in Brazil.
How we organise the mandate
The first discussion identifies the decision to be made, the companies involved and the timetable. We review the available documents before proposing a defined scope, deliverables and fees. The responsible partner coordinates contributions from the relevant practices, so that a recommendation can be considered against its operational consequences. Reporting distinguishes decisions required from the client, information still missing and work completed. When another jurisdiction is involved, we agree how the Brazilian work will connect with the group’s advisers abroad.
Preparing the first discussion
Useful starting material includes the group structure, the Brazilian entity’s details, existing agreements and a short explanation of the commercial objective. Please indicate any live deadline and the people authorised to give instructions. The initial contact need not contain confidential case documents or sensitive personal information. We can agree an appropriate channel for exchanging the supporting material after identifying the parties and the scope of the request.