Announcing a framework agreement for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries Argentina and the United States It causes a domino effect in the area. For Brazil, which is currently negotiating its own trade understanding with Washington, the agreement between the administrations of Javier Miley and Donald Trump could As a warning A review of the type of concessions Washington seeks in the region in exchange for improving its conditions.
in BrasiliaAdvertisement It fell in surprise. A high-ranking diplomatic source from Itamarata admitted that Buenos Aires He did not report previously communicated to its Mercosur partners about the terms of the agreement.
“the Argentina has not yet officially reported anything to Mercosur. “We need to know the details first,” the Brazilian source said when asked about the impact, recalling that the regional bloc had already accepted, in June of this year, the expansion of the list of exceptions to the common external tariff.
On whether the understanding between Miley and Trump As pressure increased on Brazil to accelerate its negotiations with Washington, the official appeared cautious. He replied: “I do not see a relationship,” although he said that “it is still not possible to assess the impact, because the content of what was agreed upon is unknown, and it is necessary to wait for the details,” he admitted when asked about it. Nation.
The agreement announced Argentina and the United States Thursday covers an ambitious list of commitments: phasing out taxes on North American products; Preferential openness to US medicines, machinery, technology, vehicles and agricultural products; In addition to compliance with US regulatory standards, from FDA-approved medical devices to environmental and labor standards.
Washington, for its part, He promised to eliminate tariffs on natural resources and unpatented pharmaceutical supplies and review national security measures affecting Argentine trade.
The agreement also strengthens areas that the Trump administration considers strategic to compete with China: critical minerals, digital trade, and intellectual property.
Argentina will allow the transfer of data – including personal data – in a clear gesture of alignment with the US approach. In addition, Buenos Aires agreed to strengthen the fight against counterfeiting and piracy, adopt global standards for medical vehicles and devices, and facilitate U.S. agricultural exports such as live livestock, chicken meat, and dairy products.
This announcement came Only when Brazil discusses a trade relationship agreement with WashingtonAs confirmed by the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, after a meeting between Minister Marco Rubio and President Lula da Silva’s Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira.
It has been facing Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer and exporter, since August 6 Tariffs of up to 50% implemented by Trump A direct hit to a major export product. Nearly 700 products were excluded, but many sensitive items, such as meat and coffee, were included.
After his meeting with Rubio. Vieira was cautious but optimisticHe said: “The answer will come soon and they want to resolve bilateral issues with Brazil quickly.”
The agreement with Argentina provides an additional factor for regional competition. Washington made clear that it is seeking, country after country, to expand the scope of its work in Latin America.
For Brazil, the message is twofold, according to experts consulted by the center Nation.
On the one hand, this confirms that Washington is negotiating simultaneously with several South American countries, and that the Trump administration seeks, before closing the framework with Brazil, to consolidate advantages in the region. On the other hand, it indicates that the White House is willing to offer tariff relief in exchange for concessions.
The announced measures aim to reduce prices in USAan urgent political priority for Trump, but at the same time Latin American markets are open to agricultural and industrial goods Americans without having to negotiate broad agreements with blocs such as Mercosur.
He noted that the agreement has the potential to harm sectors such as the Brazilian automobile and industrial machinery industry. Leah Waltzresearcher at the Brazilian Institute of Economics of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV-Ibre). If Argentina were granted more access to American products, Brazilian manufacturing would immediately lose space in its main foreign market in the region.
Brazil is carefully monitoring movement in Buenos Aires. “The Argentine agreement puts pressure on Brazil. Argentina is the third largest destination for Brazilian exports, with a more diversified pattern. Brazil cannot be left behind,” Valls said. Nation.
Meanwhile, for Mercosur, the scenario becomes more complex and reveals the bloc’s internal fragility.
Signaling that the United States will move forward with bilateral agreements within the bloc’s orbit weakens the common negotiating position and establishes an uncomfortable reality: fragmenting concessions could reduce the group’s firepower against other powers.
According to Valls, an expert in foreign trade, “No one is talking about… Common external tariff.
He concluded by saying: “Each country is accused differently and negotiates on its own.”
About The Author
