Folha Mercado3 hours agoBusiness1 min readBrazil

Estimate of Italian exports to Mercosur may be understated, says ICE president

Quick Look

Matteo Zoppas, president of the Italian ICE Agency, says that the estimated 14 billion euros in additional exports to Mercosur over the next ten years may be undersized due to the reduction of bureaucratic and non-tariff barriers in the EU-Mercosur agreement.
A delegation of 200 people, including 90 businesspeople from five sectors, will visit Brazil this month to look for projects aligned with the Italian target of 700 billion euros in annual exports.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

The free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur is in the implementation phase, with expectations of a reduction in tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Italy seeks to take advantage of this scenario to increase its exports, currently worth around 7.5 billion euros annually to the bloc.

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The estimate of 14 billion euros (R$83.4 billion at current prices) in additional Italian exports to Mercosur over the next ten years may be undersized, assesses Matteo Zoppas, president of the ICE Agency (Italian foreign trade). He states that the reduction of bureaucratic and non-tariff barriers tends to increase this potential.

The leader says that the calculation is due to the expected effect of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur on bilateral trade.

Zoppas leads a delegation of 200 people who will be in Brazil this month. There will be around 90 Italian entrepreneurs from five sectors (energy transition and sustainable infrastructure, machinery and equipment, pharmaceutical industry, digital technologies and agribusiness).

The objective is to seek projects that contribute to the European country's goal of €700 billion (R$4.17 billion) in annual exports. Currently, Mercosur markets represent around €7.5 billion (R$44.6 billion) in Italian sales.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

Italian exports to Mercosur will exceed an additional 14 billion euros over the next ten years due to the reduction of trade barriers.
Likely · Within years

Open Questions

What are the specific bureaucratic and non-tariff barriers that will be reduced?
What is the detailed timeline for implementing the agreement between the EU and Mercosur?
How were the sectors selected in the delegation prioritized?