
The Brazilian government expressed concerns over the new Argentine trade barriers going in effect on Wednesday and informed that it would “evaluate its impact and legality” before making any decisions, Foreign Trade secretary Tatiana Prazeres announced.

Argentina’s controversial new import restrictions came into effect on Wednesday as part of the legislation on the trading sector which gives the government bureaucracy more powers to control and restrict imports.

The value of Paraguayan beef exports could drop 30% in 2012 compared to the previous year given the loss of markets following two outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease, FMD, points out the country’ Centre for Analysis of the Paraguayan Economy, CADEP.

The Uruguayan industrial sector warned that certain members of the Mercosur “are failing to fulfil their obligations” and targeted Argentina directly by pointing out that the new trade regulations set by the local Government “are hurting production” in the neighbouring country.

The grounding of two bulk carriers one in the Parana River and a second in the Martin Garcia access canal are evidence of the frail fluvial communications system between the River Plate and the Atlantic, reports the press from the port of Rosario, Argentina’s second largest city and among the world’s main grain export terminals.

Uruguay's President José Mujica said that Mercosur bloc is stalled and has no natural institutional operation to push other countries to express their willingness to enter it plus lacking the fluidity of a natural relationship.

Uruguay’s credit-rating outlook was raised on Thursday to positive by Moody’s Investors Service, which cited the government’s commitment to keeping its budget deficit in check.

Brazil has plans to counter the latest battery of trade restrictions which Argentina announced, if they turn out to the barriers for Brazilian exports, reported the influential Folha de Sao Paulo.

Ships from the Falkland Islands that are barred from ports in Argentina and other Mercosur trade bloc countries can re-flag as British ships at any time to avoid the ban, British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

“In practical terms Venezuela if fully integrated to Mercosur” said Uruguayan Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro during a meeting this week with foreign correspondents.