(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
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tute in <strong>the</strong> eyes <strong>of</strong> many countries, who belong to <strong>the</strong> Cairns-Group, non-tariff trade<br />
barriers that only serve to advance <strong>the</strong> protectionism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> “North”. 9 According to<br />
estimates, subsidies <strong>of</strong> OECD countries that were used to protect <strong>the</strong>ir own agricultural<br />
markets averaged 360 billion US-dollars annually. 10<br />
Thus, it is not surprising that in <strong>the</strong> negotiations between <strong>the</strong> <strong>EU</strong> <strong>and</strong> MERCO-<br />
SUR <strong>the</strong> agricultural sector is considered to be <strong>the</strong> central issue <strong>of</strong> negotiations. In<br />
addition, <strong>the</strong> trade <strong>of</strong> agricultural goods is <strong>the</strong> only trade sector where <strong>the</strong> four MER-<br />
COSUR countries have a positive trade balance with <strong>the</strong> <strong>EU</strong>. They <strong>the</strong>refore anticipate<br />
an increased economic potential from an opening up <strong>of</strong> European agricultural<br />
markets through a free trade agreement:<br />
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<strong>EU</strong> MERCHANDISE TRADE WITH <strong>MERCOSUR</strong><br />
BY PRODUCT (2002):<br />
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Source: DG Trade: http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/doclib/html/111832.htm<br />
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In 2002 Paraguay had a surplus in <strong>the</strong> trade <strong>of</strong> agricultural products with <strong>the</strong><br />
15 <strong>EU</strong> countries <strong>of</strong> 78.7 million Euros, exporting goods worth 98.9 million Euro <strong>and</strong><br />
importing agricultural products valued at 20.2 million Euros. 11 Argentina achieved a<br />
surplus <strong>of</strong> 4.6 billion Euro, from exports <strong>of</strong> 4.7 billion Euros <strong>and</strong> imports <strong>of</strong> 0.1 billion<br />
9 “Mercosul faz acordo para combater barreiras: O uso crescente de normas técnicas para restringir o acesso de<br />
produtos importados levou os países do Mercosul a firmarem um acordo, ontem, para defenderem, em bloco,<br />
os interesses de exportadores brasileiros, argentinos, paraguaios e uruguaios, contra exigências ambientais,<br />
de saúde ou outro tipo de barreira burocrática não previsto em tratados” Valor Econômico 2.12.2003. Own<br />
translation: “The <strong>MERCOSUR</strong> agrees on combating barriers: <strong>the</strong> increasing use <strong>of</strong> technical norms to restrict <strong>the</strong><br />
access <strong>of</strong> imported goods took <strong>the</strong> <strong>MERCOSUR</strong> countries to sign an agreement yesterday against environmental-,<br />
health- or o<strong>the</strong>r types <strong>of</strong> bureaucratical barriers which are not mentioned in <strong>the</strong> treaties.”<br />
10 See, e.g., Das Parlament, No. 16 – 17, April 13/20, 2001.<br />
11 “Paraguay”, DG Trade A2/CG/SG/WB, Brussels October, 2003.