La CAN et le MERCOSUR : bilan et perspectives

• Main Author: Axel Gastambide
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Institut Français d'Études Andines 2001-08-01
• Series: Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Études Andines
• Subjects: commercial agreement; CAN; MERCOSUR; ZLEA
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/bifea/7071

South America did not avoid the process of commercial regionalism in the beginning of the 1990’s. Trade between Andean countries, within the framework of the CAN, and the one between Southern Cone countries, within the framework of the MERCOSUR, have dramatically been increasing over the last ten years. Meanwhile, the northern part of the continent regrouped with success around,, a preferential commercial agreement called ALENA. At the present time, the United States promotes a project aiming at the creation in 2005 of a continental free trade area . South America’s countries are, on one hand, favoured by better access to regional markets but, on the other hand, they fear that United States will enforce an agreement “OMC plus” (including clauses about labour right and environment) which would penalise their economy. So, in order to constitute a unitary and coherent block, likely to influence on negotiations, CAN and MERCOSUR have planned, for 2002, the creation of a free trade area in South America.