Brazilian Manufacturer Eager to Ink EU-Mercosur Deal

The head of a major Brazilian auto-parts manufacturer is supporting the relaunch of talks to secure a free-trade deal between the European Union and the four founding members of the Mercosur bloc ­­­­ ­­­­­– Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

“Brazil needs to integrate in a more competitive way and I think we need to focus on this deal with the European Union,” says Dan Ioschpe, chairman of São Paulo-based Iochpe-Maxion.

Iochpe, whose company supplies wheels and other structural components for light vehicles, says he believes negotiations to aid both Brazilian and EU auto-sector suppliers are going in the right direction. “With adequate policies being set for this relationship, we will not fear a new wave of globalization in our economies,” he says.

Criticizing other nations’ protectionist policies, Iochpe says: “The policies being designed now have to go beyond what is national and what is not. Adapting to that might take a while, but I prefer this recipe to artificial policies that seek momentary solutions.

“And now we need to open up. We had the worst year of our history in 2016.”