Brazil
While Brazil was one of the chief Latin American architects of the defeat of the FTAA, its economic policy has, in many cases, been favorable to the signing of FTAs. Given its dominant position in Mercosur and on the continent in general, it has focused its efforts on reaching such agreements within the institutional forums of which it is a member.
Mercosur in particular is actively involved in seeking negotiations with India, Central America, the Southern African Customs Union, and Algeria.
In many cases these trade agreements are being pursued as part of the administration’s policy of expanding markets for agrofuels (ethanol).
At the same time, Brazil is carrying on negotiations with India and South Africa, with which it makes up the strongest economic bloc of Southern countries within IBSA, creating tensions within Mercosur.
In March 2011, Brazil signed an Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation (ATEC) which many analysts see as a first step towards an FTA. Since 2010, Brazil has also been pushing for an FTA with Mexico.
last update: May 2012
Brazil and Mexico have begun talks on a free trade deal, seeking to deepen commercial ties between the two largest economies in Latin America.
Officials participating in the negotiations say the deal not only involves taxes, but also non-tariff and investment issues.
US President said the United States will pursue a trade deal with Latin America’s largest nation, one of the least open economies in the world.
Brazilian Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias said that she will discuss US-Brazil trade in meat, sugar and ethanol in talks next week between officials of the two countries.
Bolsonaro will meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington and the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral trade.
Brazil hopes to commence negotiations on creating a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the issue is already on the agenda of the Mercosur countries
The ICFAs open a door to arbitration, providing an alternative to the local courts, but State-to-State, not investor-State.
On 30 March 2015, Brazil and Mozambique entered into a treaty, which they call the Agreement for Cooperation and Investment Facilitation. On 1 April, Brazil and Angola entered into an agreement of the same nature.
Bilateral trade agendas with both US and EU may become a way for Brazil to mitigate the negative potential impacts of TTIP and TTP, argues a former World Bank official.
The Brazil-US Business Council today signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI) to conduct studies on a potential trade agreement and report back to both governments on their findings.
