Brazilian natural stones target new opportunities in the European market during program in Brussels
Among eight Brazilian sectors, the segment will map markets with the greatest potential and set priorities to turn market intelligence into initiatives that drive demand and generate business.
Vitória (Espírito Santo, Brazil), September XX, 2026 – The search for new destinations for Brazilian exports is opening a new front in October. From October 12 to 16, eight of the country’s productive sectors will be in Belgium for Productive Connections Brussels, an initiative promoted by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) focused on developing action plans to expand Brazil’s presence in the European market.
The natural stone industry embarks on the program through It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, a project developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with ApexBrasil. Fabio Cruz, the vice president of the organization, and Thiago Fukuda, the manager of the project, will take part in the discussions.
The discussions will be based on a preliminary assessment of the sectors involved to identify opportunities, obstacles, and the European markets with the greatest potential for Brazilian stones. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the particularities of each country and, using this intelligence, define priorities and actions capable of boosting demand and creating new business opportunities for companies in the sector.
“Market diversification is an ongoing strategy to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness and international presence. Europe plays an important role in this effort and brings together countries with different profiles, demands, and opportunities. We need to understand these particularities, identify where Brazilian stones have the greatest potential, and set priorities. This knowledge allows us to turn market intelligence into concrete initiatives, capable of generating demand and new business opportunities for Brazilian companies,” says Fabio Cruz.
The program in Brussels is part of a broader internationalization effort by the sector. ApexBrasil recently approved an additional R$1.9 million for the current cycle of the program It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, expanding trade promotion and market intelligence initiatives in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The new initiatives include a study on the impacts of the Mercosur–European Union Agreement on the Brazilian natural stone industry and an International Round of Negotiations in Poland. The additional funding also encompasses activities in Asian markets and the Middle East, combining market intelligence and trade promotion to target new areas of operation and business generation.
About It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone
It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone is an export promotion program developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The program aims to encourage and increase exports of Brazilian natural stones, through a set of strategic internationalization actions with initiatives geared towards promotion, strengthening of the image and development of the industry in the global market. Companies interested in being part of the project must visit https://podio.com/webforms/26378838/1995038 to register for free.
About Centrorochas
Founded in 2004, the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) is the national body representing Brazil's natural stone sector. Operating across 17 states and maintaining a network of more than 470 member and supported companies, it represents and coordinates one of the world's leading producers and exporters of natural stone. The association works to defend the sector's interests and strengthen the competitiveness of its production chain, fostering dialogue with government, institutions, and strategic partners. Its initiatives span sector development, sustainability, innovation, intelligence and knowledge, professional training, trade promotion, and internationalization, helping to expand the competitiveness and presence of Brazilian natural stone both in Brazil and abroad.
About ApexBrasil
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these objectives, the Agency carries out several trade promotion activities aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad. They include prospective and trade missions, rounds of negotiations, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, and visits of foreign buyers and opinion formers to learn about the Brazilian production structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. The Agency also works in coordination with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on strategic sectors, aiming at the development of competitiveness of Brazilian companies and of the country.