The trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, which came into effect in May 2026, is driving positive expectations for Brazilian footwear exporters and European buyers ahead of the 7th edition of BFShow. Organised by the Brazilian footwear association Abicalçados and Nürnberg Messe Brasil, the trade fair will take place from 10 to 12 November at the Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo.
According to data compiled by Abicalçados, the average EU import tariff on Brazilian footwear dropped by 1.4 percentage points following the agreement, falling from 10.7% to 9.3%. The tariff is scheduled to decrease to 8.2% in January 2027 as part of a ten-year phase-out schedule. Between May and September, Brazilian exports to Europe reached 2.8 million pairs and USD 29.6 million, representing growth of 7% in volume and 17.5% in revenue compared with the same period last year.
“The agreement may have brought commercial relations closer and initiated the process of gradual market recovery,” said Haroldo Ferreira, Executive President of Abicalçados.
More than 10,500 buyers are expected at the trade fair, with international visitors accounting for approximately 10%. Through the International Buyer Project, conducted in partnership with ApexBrasil, organisers have invited more than 200 importers from 45 countries. European buyers have been confirmed from Germany, Croatia, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Serbia.
Among the registered buyers is Vishal Sonwane, Executive Director of Germany-based DigiKraft GmbH and UAE-based Herzo Kraft. “The agreement is a significant development that we are actively considering in our sourcing strategy. Although we have not yet started buying Brazilian products, the reduction of trade barriers makes Brazilian footwear considerably more competitive in terms of prices and delivery times for our markets,” said Sonwane.
Portuguese retail group Masalves Calçado Unipessoal, which imports around USD 750,000 worth of products annually, also anticipates growing purchases. Buyer Manuel Alves reported that the company plans to purchase between 25% and 30% more at the November edition compared with the previous fair in May.
BFShow will present collections from more than 300 Brazilian brands across three days of exhibition.
