Unpacking the impact of mega-regional agreements: the EU–Mercosur case

Abstract

Mega-regional trade agreements progressively became a mechanism for the European Union (EU) to include a wide range of commitments in interregional negotiations. There is a well-developed scholarly debate on the EU’s normative power, but we have not seen a similar weight of research on how third countries react to European influence. We suggest that the focus on the macro analysis of state-level interests hides that domestic groups are impacted by EU rules and mobilise to respond to what is perceived as an imposition of European norms. This article explores the EU–Mercosur Agreement and, considering the pivotal role of Brazil in potentially obstructing it, we conducted documentary research to analyse how Brazilian stakeholders have reacted to the EU norm-spreading. We mapped influential individuals and organisations engaged in disclosing their positions and influencing the negotiation outcome. The results demonstrate that while supporters are those directly benefiting from trade liberalisation, opposition comes mainly from sectors impacted by the beyond-trade norms.

Keywords:

• European Union
• normative power
• trade agreements
• EU–Mercosul agreement
• Brazil

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Mercosur is currently composed of five members: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay are the founders, and Bolivia became the fifth member of Mercosur on 7 December 2023. Venezuela was formerly a member but was suspended in 2017 in violation of the Ushuaia Protocol, Mercosur’s democratic clause.

2 Beyond the green transition policies and the EU Green Deal, the green myth of Europe has been associated with the normative power project since the 2010s. See Lenschow and Sprungk (2010).

3 Available at https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2023/09/lula-tells-macron-that-new-environmental-requirements-of-the-eu-mercosur-agreement-are-offensive.shtml. Accessed 22 January 2024.

4 Available at https://www.dw.com/es/mercosur-ue-si-lula-no-lo-logra-ahora-paraguay-no-seguir%C3%A1-negociando-acuerdo-advierte-santiago-pe%C3%B1a/a-66919534. Accessed 22 January 2024.

5 Available at https://www.cronista.com/economia-politica/argentina-apura-el-acuerdo-ue-mercosur-y-ya-hay-fecha-de-anuncio-a-la-vista/. Accessed 22 January 2024.

6 Despite the time frame of the research, it is worth mentioning that some concerns and arguments from interest groups have existed since the start of negotiations in the 1990s.

7 Available at http://www.amigosdaterrabrasil.org.br/2022/11/07/delegacao-brasileira-vai-a-europa-denunciar-impactos-socioambientais-do-acordo-mercosul-ue/. Accessed 22 January 2024.

8 Available at https://stopeumercosur.org/#coalition-statement. Accessed 22 January 2024.

9 Available at https://veja.abril.com.br/economia/setor-siderurgico-do-brasil-critica-acordo-ue-mercosul/. Accessed 22 January 2024.

10 Both Senator Tereza Cristina and Senator Omar Aziz have already been in the opposition but have joined Lula’s governing group in the beginning of his third mandate. Their arguments, alongside statements from Lucas Ferraz, Marcos Troyjo, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, can be found at https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/infomaterias/2019/08/acordo-mercosul-ue-deve-baratear-produtos-mas-forcar-eficiencia-e-produtividade. Accessed 22 January 2024.

11 Former Minister Celso Amorim has publicly expressed that he is in favour of the agreement in general, but against the terms agreed on 2019. He advocates for a renegotiation.

Additional information

Funding

Ana Paula Tostes is a Jean Monnet Chair (Project: 101127443 EUgac) and currently holds a Productivity Scholarship from FAPERJ (Prociência/UERJ) and CNPq (no. 316785/2021-0)

Notes on contributors

Ana Paula Tostes

Ana Paula Tostes (she/her) is a professor at the Institute of Social and Political Studies of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (IESP-UERJ). She is a Jean Monnet Chair (Project: 101127443 EUgac) and a Senior Fellow at the Brazilian Center of International Relations (CEBRI) at the Europe Program. She holds a PhD in political science from IUPERJ (currently IESP) and a post-doctorate at the University of São Paulo (USP). She was a visiting researcher (2016–2017) at the Free University of Berlin (FUB) and a professor at Michigan State University (MSU).

Marianna Albuquerque

Marianna Albuquerque (she/her) is a professor at the Institute of International Relations and Defense, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IRID-UFRJ). She is also a Senior Fellow at the Brazilian Center of International Relations (CEBRI), a Raisina Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF India) and an Atlantic Dialogue Emerging Leader alumni. She holds a post-doctorate in military sciences from the Army Command and General Staff College (ECEME), a PhD in political science from the Institute of Social and Political Studies at UERJ (IESP/UERJ), and a master’s degree in political science from the same institution. Her research focuses on multilateral institutions, regional organisations, and Brazilian foreign policy.