Mercosul/Mercosur: The Market & Beyond (program), April 26-28, 2001

With the success of the European Union (which began as a common market) and NAFTA, contiguous countries in several parts of the world have sought to create free trade zones. As occurred in Europe, such trade zones depend on political and cultural collaboration as well and often lead to cooperation that transcends mere trade issues. A particularly striking example of a new trade zone that is at once financial, political, and cultural is MERCOSUL/MERCOSUR, which consists of four Southern Cone countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Although only ten years old, MERCOSUL/MERCOSUR can already point to many successes, particularly in combining South America’s two largest economies, Brazil and Argentina. The agreement, however, has not been free of problems since historically these countries have been quicker to forge ties with Europe and the United States than with each other. The result has been a mixed record of successes and missteps. The purpose of this conference is two-fold: (1) to examine the progress made thus far in the economic sphere; and (2) to examine the social, political, and historical context of the agreement and thereby better understand and predict misunderstandings. Specifically, the conference will offer seven panels dedicated to the following topics: 1. Economic Questions: Successes, Failures, and Unfinished Business 2. Reading Each Other’s History 3. Reading Each Other’s News 4. Legal Questions: Whose International Law? 5. Understanding Each Other’s Politics 6. Intellectual and Artistic Exchange 7. NAFTA and the EU: How Distant a Mirror? Speaking at the conference will be distinguished academics, political leaders, and journalists drawn from all the MERCOSUL/MERCOSUR countries, Europe, and the United States. Particularly important will be the presence and participation of the ambassadors of Argentina and Brazil, Enrique Guillermo González and Rubens Antônio Barbosa.