Le mercosur et l'union europeenne : un rapprochement economique prometteur?
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Abstract EN:
This thesis is analysing the economic relations between two customs unions which are distinguished by their development level, but which have close historical and cultural ties : the mercosur and the european union. The mercosur countries are regaining the interest of the industrialised countries because of the success of their economic reforms and of their regional integration process. Especially the european union is strengthening its ties with this region. There is even a project to create a free trade area between the two customs unions in the long run. The co-operation treaties between the eu and the mercosur countries have quantitatively, but also qualitatively improved. Now they are taking better in consideration the particularities of the mercosur countires. Nevertheless, the volume of the programs is by far too limited. The industrial development of the mercosur countries has not been sustained efficiently. Moreover, a great number of tariff and non-tariff barriers are hindering the reciprocal relations. The trade between the two economic blocs has seen a strong rise during the last years. It is marked by a strong complementarity (european exports of highly industrialised goods, mercosur exports of products of low transformation), but also by a high asymmetry (strong dynamism of european exports, low growth rates of mercosur exports). Apart from privatisation programs in argentina, european direct investments in the mercosur market have not been very dynamic recently. Nevertheless, europe has conserved its strong presence in its traditionally strong sectors as in chemistry, in mechanics and in the automobile sector. Now there are new investment projects concerning the privatisation program in brazil, and in dynamic sectors such as in the automobile and in the food sector. The economic rapprochement might continue in the next years. However, the rhythm of this rapprochement is strongly depending on the political determination of europe to continue on this path.
Abstract FR:
Cette these analyse les relations economiques entre deux unions douanieres qui se distinguent par leur niveau de developpement, mais qui ont des liens historiques et culturels etroits : le mercosur et l'union europeenne. Les pays du mercosur ont de nouveau attire l'interet des pays industrialises grace au succes de leurs reformes economiques et de leur processus d'integration regionale. L'union europeenne s'efforce d'etablir des relations plus etroites avec cette region allant jusqu'a l'idee de creer une zone de libre-echange a long terme, ce qui montre l'interet particulier de cette recherche. Les accords de cooperation entre l'europe et les pays du mercosur ont augmente de volume, mais aussi de qualite. Ils correspondent mieux aux besoins des pays latino-americains. Neanmoins, le volume des programmes est encore beaucoup trop limite pour soutenir efficacement le developpement industriel des pays du mercosur. En plus, de nombreux obstacles commerciaux et non commerciaux entravent les relations reciproques. Le commerce entre les deux blocs economiques s'est fortement developpe. Il est marque par une forte complementarite (exportations europeennes de produits industriels contre des exportations du mercosur de biens peu elabores), mais aussi par de fortes asymetries (fort dynamisme des exportations europeennes et faible elan des exportations du mercosur). A l'exception des programmes de privatisations en argentine, les investissements directs europeens dans le mercosur n'ont montre qu'un faible elan. Neanmoins, l'europe a conserve une bonne presence dans ses anciens bastions (chimie, automobile, mecanique). Plus recemment, il y a de nouveaux projets d'investissements dans plusieurs domaines : l'automobile, l'agro-alimentaire, les privatisations au bresil. Le rapprochement economique entre les deux regions pourrait continuer dans les annees a venir. Pourtant, le rythme de ce rapprochement depend fortement de l'interet politique europeen d'avancer dans ce chemin.