Trade relations

Briefing note by ECLAC Caribbean Chief, Diane Quarless (December 2014)…

Secretario Ejecutivo Adjunto de la CEPAL interviene en reunión de Cancilleres del MERCOSUR

El Secretario Ejecutivo Adjunto de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Antonio Prado, intervino hoy en la XLVII Reunión Ordinaria del Consejo del Mercado Común del Sur (MERCOSUR), en la que participaron los Cancilleres de los Estados Parte y Estados Asociados del ese bloque. El encuentro tuvo lugar en la ciudad de Paraná, capital de la provincia argentina de Entre Ríos, y formó parte de las reuniones preparatorias de la Cumbre de Jefes y Jefas de Estado del MERCOSUR y Estados Asociados que tendrá lugar el miércoles 17 de diciembre. En su intervención, el alto funcion…

Trade and Development Nexus: reflections on the performance of trade in goods under the Cariforum-European Union Partnership agreement a Cariforum perspective

Given the asymmetry in the levels of development and capacity which exist between the EU and CARIFORUM States, the architects of the CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)1 anticipated the need for review and monitoring of the impacts of implementation. Article 5 and other provisions in the Agreement therefore specifically mandate that monitoring be undertaken to ensure that the Agreement benefits a wide cross-section of the population in member countries. The paper seeks to provide a preliminary assessment of the impact of the EPA on CARIFORUM countries. In so doin…

Carbon Footprint and International Trade of Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean is already suffering the effects of global warming. To make a product, export it, consume it and manage (or not) its waste generates greenhouse gases (GHG) that are measured by the so-called “carbon footprint.” Reducing this footprint can be an opportunity to make the region’s exports more competitive, especially food exports.…

La huella de carbono y el comercio internacional de América Latina y el Caribe

América Latina y el Caribe ya está sufriendo los efectos del calentamiento global. Producir un bien, exportarlo, consumirlo y gestionar (o no) sus residuos genera emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) que son medidas a través de la llamada “huella de carbono”. La reducción de esta huella puede ser una oportunidad para hacer más competitivas las exportaciones de la región, especialmente las de alimentos.…

Measuring and Reducing Carbon Footprints Would Allow Companies to Improve Their Insertion in Global Trade

Latin American and Caribbean companies could improve their insertion in global trade if they measure their carbon footprints and took action to reduce them in their productive processes, ECLAC representatives said this Thursday, December 11, during a side event of the 20th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 20), which is being held in Lima, Peru. At the meeting, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) presented the results of its project on carbon footprint and food exports in the region, in which eight countr…

Medición y reducción de huella de carbono permitiría a empresas mejorar su inserción en el comercio global

Las empresas de América Latina y el Caribe podrían mejorar su inserción en el comercio global si miden su huella de carbono y adoptan acciones para reducirla en sus procesos productivos, señalaron este jueves 11 de diciembre representantes de la CEPAL durante un evento paralelo en el marco de la vigésima Conferencia de las Partes de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (COP 20), que se realiza en Lima, Perú. La Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) presentó en la reunión los resultados de su proyecto sobre la huella de carbono y las exportac…

Free Trade Zones Contribute to the Diversification of Uruguay's Exports

Economic activity in Uruguay's 12 authorized free trade zones in 2010 gave direct employment to 13,000 people and represented 1.7% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) that year, according to a new study by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), which stresses that these areas have also contributed to diversifying Uruguay's exports of goods and services. The report A case of Productive and Commercial Transformation: Free Trade Zones in Uruguay analyzes the recent evolution of economic activity, foreign trade and employment among the companies lo…

Las zonas francas contribuyen a diversificar las exportaciones de Uruguay

La actividad económica en las 12 zonas francas autorizadas en Uruguay en 2010 dio empleo directo a 13.000 personas y representó 1,7 por ciento del producto interno bruto (PIB) del país en ese año, según un nuevo estudio de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), que destaca que estas áreas han contribuido además a diversificar las exportaciones uruguayas de bienes y servicios. El informe Un caso de transformación productiva y comercial: zonas francas en el Uruguay analiza la evolución reciente de la actividad económica, del comercio exterior y del empleo en las…

As zonas francas contribuem para diversificar as exportações do Uruguai

A atividade econômica nas 12 zonas francas autorizadas no Uruguai em 2010 deu emprego direto a 13.000 pessoas e representou 1,7% do produto interno bruto (PIB) do país nesse ano, segundo um novo estudo da Comissão Econômica para a América Latina e o Caribe (CEPAL), o qual destaca que estas áreas contribuíram para diversificar as exportações uruguaias de bens e serviços. O relatório Um caso de transformação produtiva e comercial: zonas francas no Uruguai analisa a evolução recente da atividade econômica, do comércio exterior e do emprego nas empresas instaladas nessas áreas utilizando…

Integración regional. Hacia una estrategia de cadenas de valor inclusivas

Caribbean Economic Growth Set To Increase in 2015

The Caribbean economy has experienced increased growth in the last year, moving from 1.4% in 2013 to 1.8% in 2014, with even more positive prospects for 2015, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), at the launch of the flagship report: “Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean 2014”. This was presented by ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena at the Commission’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile on 2 December 2014, and was broadcast online and via videoconference. Following this launch, the ECLAC subregional headq…

Development Banking in the Region Offers Mechanisms for Internationalization of SMEs

Development banking in the region has made efforts to facilitate the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), given that most of their financing programs include these companies among their targets (92 %), establish flexible terms (36 %) and demand guarantees or endorsements adjusted to their possibilities, according to a report recently published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The figures of the study Financing of International Trade and the Role of Development Banking in Latin America and the Caribbean (available on…

La banca de desarrollo en la región ofrece mecanismos para internacionalización de las pymes

La banca de desarrollo en la región ha realizado esfuerzos por facilitar la internacionalización de las pymes dado que la mayoría de sus programas de financiamiento incluyen a estas empresas entre sus destinatarios (92 %), establecen plazos flexibles (36 %) y les exigen garantías o avales ajustándose a sus posibilidades, según destaca un informe publicado recientemente por la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL). Las cifras del estudio El financiamiento del comercio internacional y el rol de la banca de desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe proceden de una nu…

Os bancos de desenvolvimento na região oferecem mecanismos para a internacionalização das PME

Os bancos de desenvolvimento da região têm realizado esforços para facilitar a internacionalização das PME, dado que a maioria de seus programas de financiamento incluem estas empresas entre seus destinatários (92%), estabelecem prazos flexíveis (36%) e exigem garantias ou avais ajustando-se a suas possibilidades, segundo destaca um relatório publicado recentemente pela Comissão Econômica para a América Latina e o Caribe (CEPAL). As cifras do estudo O financiamento do comércio internacional e o papel dos bancos de desenvolvimento na América Latina e no Caribe procedem de uma nova bas…

United States Trade Developments 2013-2014

United States Trade Developments 2013-2014, is an annual report prepared by the ECLAC Washington Office. It provides an overview of the most relevant trade developments in the United States trade relations with Latin America and the Caribbean and the measures that inhibit the free flow of goods among countries in the Western Hemisphere. The report presents trade figures and trends over the last few years to illustrate the nature of the U.S. engagement through trade with the world and with the Latin America and Caribbean region. Special emphasis was given to trade among the U.S., Canada, and Me…

CEPAL Review no. 114

Revista CEPAL no. 114

Foreign Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean

Intra-regional trade in Latin America and the Caribbean remains at low levels: Only a fifth (19.2%) of exports are destined for other countries in the region. Furthermore, commodities deliveries continue to account for a large portion of the export basket. ECLAC thus proposes the creation of regional value chains to widen demand, foster intra-regional trade and diversify production.…

El comercio exterior en América Latina y el Caribe

El comercio intrarregional en América Latina y el Caribe se mantiene en niveles bajos: solo una quinta parte (19,2%) de las exportaciones tiene como destino otro país de la región. Además, los envíos de materias primas siguen teniendo gran peso. Por ello, la CEPAL propone generar cadenas de valor regionales que amplíen la demanda, estimulen el comercio intrarregional y diversifiquen la producción.…