Mercosur

• Tuesday, April 10th 2012 - 06:54 UTC

  Uruguay will enjoy “positive discrimination” in bilateral trade with Argentina

  

  Argentina and Uruguay presidents Cristina Fernandez and Jose Mujica agreed Monday evening to discuss their trade differences in the framework of Mercosur and promote “positive discrimination” measures for Uruguayan exports to help compensate the restrictions imported to all imports by the Argentine government.

• Wednesday, April 4th 2012 - 08:42 UTC

  Mujica will try and convince Brazil to open Mercosur to third countries

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica arrives Thursday in neighbouring Brazil to discuss with his peer Dilma Rousseff trade expansion, productive and energy complementation and above all opening Mercosur to third countries in search of new markets.

• Sunday, April 1st 2012 - 08:28 UTC

  Rootyling for cash, the central bank has become Argentina’s Piggy bank

  

  The Economist argues that with the latest legislation, the Argentine central bank has lost its legal independence and become the piggy bank of President Cristina Fernandez government.

• Sunday, April 1st 2012 - 08:13 UTC

  Brazil considering tax breaks and higher tariffs to help struggling industries

  

  Brazil will extend a payroll tax break to some manufacturers as part of a package of new measures to help struggling industries in a move to help the recovery of Latin America's top economy, a senior government source revealed to the local media.

• Saturday, March 31st 2012 - 06:41 UTC

  Argentina rejects WTO members’ criticisms; confirms ‘sovereign trade policies’

  

  The Argentine government ratified its trade policies before the World Trade Organization, following the criticism of Argentine trade restrictions from twelve countries, including the US, EU and Japan, and assured it will continue to decide on its trade policies in a sovereign manner.

• Saturday, March 31st 2012 - 06:17 UTC

  Uruguay reveals the existence of an “Argentina 2020: imports substitution” plan

  

  Uruguay’ Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Almagro revealed that the government of President Cristina Fernandez is fully involved in the implementation of a plan called “Argentina 2020: substitution of imports” and therefore bilateral trade negotiations that are difficult, will continue on that same path for several years.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:47 UTC

  Uruguay against any Falklands’ blockade; supports trade with the Islands

  

  Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro said that the Uruguayan government does not oppose trade with the Falkland Islands and any undertaking to that effect by the private sector is welcome since “Uruguay does not agree with any commercial or economic blockade of the Islands”.

• Thursday, March 29th 2012 - 04:24 UTC

  Guess why Argentina restricts book imports: possible lead poisoning from ink

  

  Argentina does not ban the import of books, the latest measures have been implemented to safeguard human health since handling books could entail dangers originated in the lead content of the inks with which they are published.

• Tuesday, March 27th 2012 - 12:52 UTC

  Brazil extends tax cuts on appliances but manufacturers must not lay-off workers

  

  Brazil announced extended tax cuts on appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, and reduced levies on other goods, as it seeks to help manufacturers hurt by a slowdown in economic growth and a surge in imports.

• Tuesday, March 27th 2012 - 12:11 UTC

  Import barriers and inflation change Argentina’s industrial production scenario

  

  Argentina's industrial production fell unexpectedly in February, after 28 consecutive months of expansion, as weaker demand from Brazil hit the key automobile sector. Industrial output fell 0.8% from February 2011 and slid 1.4% from the previous month, said Indec.