Mercosur is being left out of the main global trade flows, argues Uruguay

Friday, March 27th 2015 - 07:15 UTC

Full article 6 comments

“We are interested in integrating to the world's main trade flows and Uruguay and Mercosur are being left out of that dynamic traffic”, said Nin Novoa.

Mercosur is being left out of the main global trade flows since it only belongs to 1% of free trade treaties or tariff preference agreements, which actually represent half of world trade, said Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa during a conference on “Education and regional integration”.

“We are interested in integrating to the main trade flows of the world and Uruguay and Mercosur are being left out of that dynamic traffic. Half of world trade operates under the umbrella of free trade treaties or tariff preference agreements and Mercosur only participates in 1% of them”, said Nin Novoa.

The Uruguayan minister made the comments following the opening of a conference on education and regional integration which took place at the Mercosur seat in Montevideo.

“If we are part of the world's bread basket...we have to be in access conditions to all those markets that demand our commodities and this is extensive to all other countries that compete with us”.

Thus Mercosur needs to make “a great effort” to comply with “at least” the first article of its (1991) founding charter which clearly establishes “the free circulation of goods, services and production factors”.

“With this we would be achieving a great leap forward” underlined the Uruguayan minister that since taking office last March first has been strongly advocating for a more open and agile Mercosur.

The seminar on education was on occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Mercosur Asunción founding treaty, and to underline the 23 years of work in the education field in the region, “an area which has managed great advances”.

“A lot is said about how bad things are in Mercosur but there are some that are working, and very well and education is one of them”, said Nin Novoa who also mentioned other advance areas such as health services, frontier integration, structural convergence planning, private international law cooperation, consular relations.

Finally when asked about the TISA (services trade) agreement, Nin Novoa said he would make a statement on the matter once he collects all the data. TISA, sponsored by the World Trade Organization stands for Trade in Services Agreement and targets a freer framework at global level. Uruguay expressed interest in the initiative and last September made official a request to join.

Categories: Politics, Latin America, Mercosur, Uruguay.

Tags: 24th anniversary of the Mercosur Asunción founding treaty, free trade treaties, Mercosur, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, Trade in Services Agreement - TISA, Uruguay.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Conqueror
What a shame, Urineguay. Have you thought it might be something to do with your 'friends'? Make a list of countries that WANT to trade with argieland or Venecuba. You remember argentina. Thinks everybody owes it a living. Only recognises its own 'laws' when it can be bothered. And then makes up ones to suit. Rarely pays debts. Well known for its colonialist, imperialist policies. Never mind OUR territory. What about your pulp mills? They don't want you to have those, do they? So they pull every dirty trick in the book. And who was it who refused to buy their own currency back after you'd exchanged tourist pesos for your own proper currency? Let's go on. Who's turned a perfectly viable country into something sick where ordinary people have to go without ordinary household items? Who is so looney that he has a new conspiracy every week? Now make a list of people who WANT to travel to the murder capital of the world. Try integrating to the world before you make the leap to trade flows. Now here are some tips. The Falkland Islands are British. Remember that name. Falkland Islands. Let's hear you talking about them instead of that stupid 'M' word. Remember who did a great deal to enable you to be a country? Remember a certain nazi battlecruiser that might have turned your city into rubble? Who was waiting outside respecting your neutrality? Come to think of it, who was fighting so you could sit around on your fat arses? 190 years and you still haven't learned to think for yourselves!
Mar 27th, 2015 - 03:55 pm 0
Chicureo
“Half of world trade operates under the umbrella of free trade treaties or tariff preference agreements and Mercosur only participates in 1%”

In 1973 my country changed to embrace a free trade market and has never looked back. Mercosur is a rock around the neck of Uruguay. Brazil for that matter as well.
Mar 27th, 2015 - 04:35 pm 0
ChrisR
“No Money Pepe” ysed to moan to the press about Mercosur, forgetting he was one of the problems, together with DumbAss and TMBOA when they screwed Paraguay over.

Even Vasquez will be powerless to charge the existing scheme of things: Brazil and TDC are too scared of their own shadows to go for free trade.
Mar 27th, 2015 - 06:57 pm 0

Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!