With the aim of achieving a reduction in reciprocal rates announced by Donald Trump, Argentina seeks to advance in negotiations with its Mercosur partners to temporarily expand the list of exceptions to the common external tariff (AEC) of the block.
In this framework, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein receives this Friday at the San Martín Palace to the Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia To delineate and close the last details of a strategy which was activated from the moment the White House announced the new tariff scheme that shook the world.
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At the moment, Argentina has about 100 products excepted from the regional tariff and seeks to add at least 50of sectors in what the United States put as one of the conditions to negotiate the flexibility of tariffs. The conversations are open.
The official communication realized that after the Summit of Chancellors at the beginning of April, which was also held at the Argentine Foreign Ministry, the highest diplomatic representatives had agreed on the need to expand the list of additional exceptions.
However, TN He could know that Brazil began a deep technical evaluation over recent weeks in each of the ministries involved in the reforms to measure the impact of a possible “liberalization.” It is not a given fact, but the Planalto Palace will wait for the final evaluations of its agencies.
Knowing this situation and despite ideological differences, The Casa Rosada pointed its efforts on the government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvawith the objective of achieving the ratification of this commercial opening, which already has the approval of Paraguay and, to a lesser extent, of Uruguay. Consulted for this article, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Argentine cult preferred not to give statements.
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“In Brazil, foreign policy, although it responds to the Executive Power, It also respects the technical evaluations of the ministries achieved by the measures adopted by Itamraty, ”different sources involved in the conversations explained to this medium.
From Latin American partners they understand and share that the situation is different in Argentina, where The political decision to approach the Trump administration is going through the entire agenda government exterior and directly conditions the terms of the negotiation. The visit of the Head of the South Command, Alvin Holsey, was another gesture of Washington.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry is optimistic about the possibility of closing on Friday the last pending points to temporarily expand the list of national products excepted from the AEC. It is a key tool to protect the Mercosur industry Faced with the competition of imported products, including several natives to the United States.
The debate takes place in the prelude to the Mercosur leaders meeting that will be held in Buenos Aires during the first days of July. There it is expected that the expansion of the list and a possible modernization of the block will be formally announced, an old claim with echo in all member countries.
Javier Milei’s recent trip to Paraguay to meet with President Santiago Peña was played inside doors as a gesture of continuity by Argentina. It is not a minor fact, considering that Milei himself had raised in recent months the possibility of initiating a process of exit from Mercosur and advancing bilateral agreements, something not allowed by the statute of the block.
Although the 50 specific tariff codes that Argentina would be negotiating with the United States did not yet transcended, The focus is on obtaining a clear support from Brazil, The main commercial partner of Argentina and the actor with greater political weight on the international block agenda.
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