Brazil enacts Mercosur trade facilitation deal

Brazil on Friday enacted an agreement aimed at simplifying trade with fellow members of the Mercosur, including Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

The Mercosur Trade Facilitation Agreement is intended to make trade among member states faster and more efficient by encouraging standardized procedures, electronic documentation, simplified customs regulations, greater transparency in trade rules, and stronger cooperation among border authorities.

The agreement also includes measures designed to accelerate customs clearance procedures, particularly for perishable goods, and promote the use of the Single Window for Foreign Trade, a digital platform that allows traders to submit documents such as certificates of origin and sanitary certificates electronically.

According to the Brazilian government, the agreement is expected to reduce operational costs and shorten processing times for trade activities while providing greater legal certainty for exporters and importers, especially micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

The government also stated that any future amendments to the agreement or additional financial obligations will remain subject to approval by Brazil’s National Congress.

The decree was published in the Government Gazette and signed by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who is serving as acting president during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to the United States.

Mercosur member states originally signed the agreement in December 2019, and Brazil’s legislature later approved the document in September 2023.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev