This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'meetings and correspondence with Grao-ParaMaranhao (GPM)'.


Ref. Ares(2025)600942 - 27/01/2025
Dear 
  
 
On November 21, 2024, I met with a group of Brazilian civil society organizations (CSOs) and a 
representative of an indigenous community from the State of Maranhão, Brazil. These groups had 
previously sent a letter (attached to this email) to several EU Commission members, raising 
significant concerns about social, legal, and environmental issues related to the GPM project. 
Unfortunately, despite our efforts, the draft reply to their letter was not delivered, as 
 has not yet 
sent the response to the CSOs. 
 
During the meeting, we provided an overview of the GPM project, noting that it had been presented 
publicly and transparently in multiple EU Global Gateway (GG) meetings held in Berlin and Brussels. 
These presentations were limited to outlining the project's basic concept. Both at EU HQ and 
colleagues in Brasilia had requested further information to GPM on key aspects, particularly 
regarding the application of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. 
 
However, at the meeting we clarified that the GPM project has not advanced to the stage of 
presenting formal ESG studies/impact analysis or financial evaluations. As such, I emphasized that 
neither the European Union nor any of its institutions, including the European Investment Bank, has 
provided financing or an official endorsement for the GPM project. 
Details regarding the complaints and the participants of the meeting are included in the attachments 
to this email. 
 
Best regards,