When the European Union (EU) and Mercosur recently announced their free trade agreement after 20 years of negotiations, we were elated. This pact cements a historic opportunity for the four Southern Cone countries to grow their economies, internationalize their companies, be more competitive, and add new jobs. The deal is one of the world’s largest, comparable in size to … [Read more...] about The European Union and Mercosur, a Historic and Promising Deal
Making trade more efficient with blockchain
International trade is of critical importance for economic and social development worldwide. A major cost of global trade is the regulatory requirement of submitting large volumes of information to governmental authorities to comply with import, export, and transit-related documents and certificates. Trade Single Windows are flagship initiatives that reduce these … [Read more...] about Making trade more efficient with blockchain
What caused the drop in exports from Latin America?
After 27 months of growth, the value of exports from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) fell by 1.6% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. Annual export growth around 8.9%, as was the case in 2018, is now a thing of the past. These findings were revealed in the 2019 edition of the report Trade Trend Estimates: Latin America and the … [Read more...] about What caused the drop in exports from Latin America?
What global ports did to become more efficient
Could sea, air and land ports in Latin America and the Caribbean become more efficient and take advantage of new technological tools to compete in global trade? The quick answer is a resounding yes. Only a handful of countries in LAC – Chile, Jamaica, Panama, and Brazil, for example – have, or are implementing, advanced, digitally-connected port systems, in contrast with … [Read more...] about What global ports did to become more efficient
Exports, the Productivity Engine the Andean Region Needs
In recent decades, productivity levels have been low in the Andean economies (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia). One explanation for this is the limited development of the region’s export sector. International trade accounts for just over 20% of the region’s GDP, far less than Asia, Europe, the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and even … [Read more...] about Exports, the Productivity Engine the Andean Region Needs