The government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) expressed concern to representatives of Argentine president Javier Milei following the trade agreement signed between Argentina and the United States. Planalto’s assessment is that the pact could affect Mercosur rules and change the tariff balance within the bloc.
In February, Milei and Donald Trump signed a trade agreement that provides for reduced tariffs and US access to critical minerals, in line with Washington’s strategy of reducing dependence on Chinese production.
The Brazilian understanding was formalized at a meeting of the Common Market Group (GMC), the executive body of Mercosur. According to minutes released on March 6, the Brazilian delegation warned that the commitments made by Buenos Aires could lead to delays in tariff processes and create distortions in regional trade, in addition to possible additional barriers for products from the bloc.
For the Brazilian government, the main point of attention is the compatibility of the agreement with the Common External Tariff (TEC), a mechanism that requires uniform import rates between Mercosur countries for certain products. Technicians assess whether the concessions made by Argentina could violate this principle.
Another source of tension is the fact that the agreement was negotiated bilaterally. Under Mercosur rules, member countries must not sign individual trade agreements that affect the bloc without joint coordination, which could set a precedent for changes to the treaty’s structure.
During the meeting, the Argentine delegation committed to clarifying doubts raised by other countries and suggested the creation of a mechanism to inform the bloc in advance about preferential trade agreements signed by its members.
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Brazil’s reaction comes at a time when Mercosur is already seeking to consolidate the free trade agreement with the European Union, which increases sensitivity around parallel initiatives that could change common rules and affect regional economic integration.
