In recent years, international trade has been marked by significant instability, with political and economic shifts abruptly altering the rules of the commercial landscape. The United States\u2019 protectionist and aggressive tariff policy, together with the impact of geopolitical conflicts on commercial transactions \u2013 such as the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Iran \u2013 provide a clear illustration of this dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This instability naturally affects the ability of business operators engaged in international activities to plan their operations and make their investments with a minimum level of security over a longer time horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is precisely in this context that the importance of the recent signing, in January 2026, of the Partnership Agreement between Mercosur and the European Union becomes evident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This importance stems from the creation of a large economic area: more than 700 million people and potential consumers, and the elimination of customs duties on over 90% of intra bloc trade. Moreover, the agreement provides for a stable framework for economic relations, as both tariff and non tariff measures must comply with the rules set out therein. Likewise, in the field of services, the opening of the government procurement sector has been established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New trade flows are expected to be created, encouraging the development of global value chains within the bloc. In the industrial sector, in which Mercosur countries are more protectionist, many of the high customs barriers will be eliminated, notably in the automotive, machinery and pharmaceutical sectors. Investments in mining, including in minerals that are critical for the energy transition, will be protected against certain interventionist measures, such as specific types of export taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likewise, opportunities for access to the European market expand, especially for agricultural products produced in the Mercosur region. There will be a clear trend toward increased European participation in Mercosur\u2019s export market. In addition to these opportunities comes the challenge of adopting production methods that are more consistent with European requirements, which are generally more stringent in sanitary and environmental matters. On this point, it is important to note that the agreement does not eliminate these requirements, it merely frames them and obliges them to comply with the agreed provisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Partnership Agreement therefore stands out as a contrasting element in the current context. In a more protectionist world, it reduces and even eliminates many trade barriers. In an unstable world, it provides greater legal certainty by establishing rules that States must observe in their economic regulations. It will now be up to business operators to make the most of this broad path that opens before them, and to lawyers to guide them along the safest routes to follow.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nos \u00faltimos anos, o com\u00e9rcio internacional tem sido marcado por grande instabilidade \u2013 movimentos pol\u00edticos e econ\u00f4micos que mudam as regras do jogo comercial abruptamente. A pol\u00edtica tarif\u00e1ria protecionista e agressiva norte-americana e a influ\u00eancia de conflitos geopol\u00edticos nas transa\u00e7\u00f5es comerciais \u2013 como a guerra na Ucr\u00e2nia e o atual conflito no Ir\u00e3 \u2013 s\u00e3o […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artigos"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n