Blogs


Back to the Negotiating Table: Renewed Prospects of an EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement

Justin Kopek ˙ ˙ Voces

Photo of Lula and Scholz REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
In June 2019, after two decades of on and off negotiations, the European Union and Mercosur, the South American customs union consisting of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, reached an agreement to dramatically expand economic cooperation between the two blocs. This unprecedented free trade agreement would not only eliminate over…Read more +

Fostering Latin America’s Digital Industries Through Regulatory Sandboxes

Ángel Melguizo, Lina Enriquez ˙ ˙ Latin America Advisor

photo of multiple phones connecting
The Inter-American Development Bank recently released a study, which Netflix supported, that found that approximately $5.7 billion was invested in audiovisual production in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2019. But in order to fully take off in Latin America, the industry requires more investment, new skills and smart regulation. This article focuses on so-called regulatory “sandboxes,” which could be a step toward improving regulation of the audiovisual digital sector.Read more +

Latin America and Covid-19: Conditions for a Sustained Recovery

Luis Miguel Castilla ˙ ˙ Voces

Publio Gonzalez, a biologist with the Gorgas Institute, holds a bat June 6, 2018, in Meteti, Panama. Gonzalez and U.S. military doctors were participating in an Emerging Infectious Diseases Training Event, in which they received informational lectures from Panamanian infectious disease experts and field studies of possible virus-carrying wildlife and insects. The event took place during Exercise New Horizons 2018, which is a joint training exercise where U.S. military members conduct training in civil engineer, medical, and support services while benefiting the local community US Air Force / Senior Airman Dustin Mullen
Latin America and the Caribbean is confronting a severe recession with uncertain prospects. Although the recovery will primarily depend on external factors, three key components will determine whether the region is capable of sustaining its path of economic prosperity and social cohesion: sound economic management, access to external finance and delivery of quality public goods and services to all its citizens. Covid-19 introduces the sense of urgency as well as an opportunity to continue making real progress.Read more +