With the polls closed and final votes counted, the new composition of the European Parliament could determine the long-awaited fate of the EU-Mercosur agreement.
Ultimately, the bloc’s future depends on the politico-ideological orientation of those presiding over its member countries in the coming years and on the relative value they assign to the region in their respective development strategies.
Often out of the spotlight of Latin America observers, Paraguay continues to make quiet but sustained economic progress. However, Paraguay’s path toward prosperity is increasingly complicated by external constraints on growth.
The ratification of the EU-MERCOSUR agreement still faces obstacles based on the negligence of Brazilian environmental policy, asymmetric ideologies in MERCOSUR, and the lobby from agrarian states in Europe.
If MERCOSUR wants to continue to negotiate effectively with other economic blocs, it needs to look for ways to adapt to what the present requires, that is, it cannot escape from a discussion on environmental protection and sustainable development.”
In the face of MERCOSUR difficulties, Uruguay could find a valuable trading partner in Canada if it considers becoming a free trade zone.
An examination of three vectors of integration—travel, migration and everyday exchange—offers a look into the challenges the Southern Cone faces given the COVID-19 pandemic.
After almost a quarter of a century of negotiations, a trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU could be signed soon. But the electoral uncertainty in South America as well as the protectionist tensions that emerged after Brexit could present risks for the agreement’s ratification.
Mercosur must modernize to adapt to a new international geopolitical reality, but there’s no clear path forward. If it can’t reform, Mercosur risks joining the long list of failed dreams of regional integration.
Trade-related negotiation benefits President Trump in two senses: legitimacy and compliance. After a successful renegotiation of NAFTA, look for him to turn to Brazil.
