The problem

The agricultural practices and trading opportunities of some EU regions are in competition with those of Mercosur countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia. This is not necessarily to the benefit of either group. A fuller understanding of these relationships can lead to greater benefits in the trading relationships between the two groups through more efficient trade policies and agreements.

Overview:

EUMercoPol will generate scientific information in support of trade policy between the EU and Mercosur countries. The project will analyse:

• The competitiveness of key Mercosur agri-food sectors relative to EU commodity systems
• Agri-food policies in the context of production, consumption and trade environments
• The ex-ante impact of liberalised trade between the EU and Mercosur on markets, budgets, and key indicators of their agricultural sectors

Contribution to policy development:

• The formal position some project partners have within Mercosur policy decision-making bodies will ensure efficient and effective uptake of project outputs by these bodies and by national ministries.
• EUMercoPol modelling will provide the means to forecast and analyse the potential implications of policy options affecting the agricultural sectors of EU and
  Mercosur countries.
• Results from project analyses and future modelling will inform the debate between the EU and Mercosur when negotiating future trade agreements.

Project deliverables

• Develop methodologies – December 2005
• Report: info-gap matrix by commodity and country – February 2006
• Annual report – April 2006/2007
• Report: key references database on Mercosur agri-food systems competitiveness – April 2006
• Report: time series database for Mercosur commodities – June 2006
• Comparison of EU and MercoSur agriculture and policy synergies – October 2007
• Report: results and database of behavioural parameters and impact model – October 2007
• Report: impact analysis of EU-Mercosur trade – February 2008
• Final project report – April 2008

Dissemination

• Establish project website – September 2005
• Progress and results will be shared with complementary EU-funded projects, such as ALCUE-Food and GlobalFoodNetwork
• Attend international workshops and conferences – as necessary
• Direct contact with the six policy planning bodies and ministries in the Mercosur
  region – ongoing
• Publish significant findings in international peer-review journals – ongoing

Technical information

Project acronym: EUMercoPol
Project’s official full title: Analysis of the competitiveness of Mercosur’s key agri-food sectors, comparison of policies and the ex-ante impacts of EU-Mercosur trade liberalisation
Research priority: 1.1. Modernisation and sustainability of agriculture and forestry, including their multifunctional role in order to ensure the sustainable development and promotion of rural areas
Specific webpage: http://www.eumercopol.org/
Proposal/contract no: 006516
Start date: 1 April 2005
Kick off meeting: April 2005
Completion date: April 2008
European Commission scientific officer: Hans-Jorg Lutzeyer, Hans-Joerg.Lutzeyer@ec.europa.eu

Coordinator:
Dr. Guy Henry
Name: CIRAD-Amis, ProsPER
Abbreviated name: CIRAD
Address: Directeur Régional Languedoc-Roussillon
Avenue Agropolis
34398 Montpellier Cedex 5
Country: France
Tel: +33 4 67 61 58 00
Fax : +33 4 67 61 59 86
Website: www.cirad.fr

Partners

Name: Université de Pau CATT
Abbreviated name: UniPau
Country: France

Name: University of Bonn, IAP
Abbreviated name: UniBonn
Country: Germany

Name: Omta Wageningen UR
Abbreviated name: WUR
Country: Netherlands

Name: INTA-IES
Abbreviated name: INTA
Country: Argentina

Name: Universidad Federal Sao Carlos
Abbreviated name: UFSCar
Country: Brazil

Name: Universidad de la Republica
Abbreviated name: UdelaR
Country: Uruguay

Name: Fundación Chile
Abbreviated name: FChile
Country: Chile

Name: Universidad Cono Sur Americas
Abbreviated name: UCSA
Country: Columbia

Name: Universidad del Cono Sur de las Americas, Asuncion
Abbreviated name:UCSA
Country: Paraguay

Name: IICA STA-CAS
Abbreviated name: IICA
Country: Uruguay

Name: AGRODATA
Abbreviated name: AgroD
Country: Bolivia