On March 26, MERCOSUR will celebrate another anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Asunción in 1991. However, this 35th anniversary is not just any anniversary; it comes at a time of great institutional vitality for the bloc. And all that has been achieved, especially in the area of international negotiations, is truly remarkable.
Specifically taking the case of Europe, after an initial political closure in 2019 and a subsequent comprehensive technical review that concluded in December 2025, the agreement with the European Union is finally moving towards its operational phase.
This achievement represents a "well-deserved reward" for decades of political and technical efforts, transforming the bloc into a major player on the global stage, precisely at a time when stability and market diversification are more necessary than ever.
A record-breaking addition: from skepticism to provisional validity
What stands out most in this final stretch is the unprecedented speed with which the MERCOSUR Member States have processed and internalized the Interim Trade Agreement (ITA).
Following the signing in Asunción on January 17, 2026, legislative timelines aligned in a race to ratification, breaking all previous precedents for the bloc's pace. Argentina and Uruguay ratified the Agreement on the same day—February 26, 2026: in Argentina through Law No. 27.800, and in Uruguay through Law No. 20.462. A few days later, on March 17, Brazil followed with its Legislative Decree No. 14/2026, and finally Paraguay on March 18 with its legislative enactment. This synchronization allowed the European Commission to authorize the provisional application of the trade chapter starting May 1.
It is certainly an irony of fate—or perhaps a message about the effort to come—that the chosen date coincides with Labor Day. Thus, in the midst of an international holiday, the challenge will formally shift from the political to the operational sphere, forcing foreign trade stakeholders to be ready for the very beginning of this new era, even before the first business day of May.
The "extra boost" of the MERCOSUR-EFTA Agreement and market diversification
This record in incorporation didn't happen in a vacuum. MERCOSUR has been gaining technical expertise through other agreements, such as the recently signed one with EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Although smaller in scale, the treaty with EFTA brought its own innovations and standards, which allowed administrations and exporters to become familiar with modernization standards.
foreign trade that is also the basis of the agreement with the EU today.
In a global context that demands diversifying destinations, MERCOSUR has been able to capitalize on this institutional momentum.
Extended Accumulation: A Strategic Technical Bridge
As I have pointed out on other occasions, when analyzing the particularities of the rules of origin in MERCOSUR, the incorporation of an annex on "extended accumulation of origin" in the MERCOSUR-EFTA Agreement represented a disruptive advance (1). This mechanism, incorporated at the initiative of the EFTA countries but which benefits both blocs, establishes criteria and rules by which, under certain conditions, inputs originating in the European Union can be considered as originating within the formula of origin applicable to MERCOSUR-EFTA trade.
Today, with the agreement with the EU in effect, this integration takes on a systemic meaning. Its origins are no longer isolated compartments but have become interconnected networks that provide technology and inputs, enabling MERCOSUR's final products to achieve higher competitive standards.
Conclusion: the origin as the heart of the implementation
Thirty-five years after its inception, MERCOSUR demonstrates its maturation into a pragmatic, results-oriented model of integration. The speed with which the EU agreement was implemented is a political achievement, but its true success, as always, will depend on the ability of our exporters to master the new rules of the game in the global context.
In this new scenario, technical knowledge is, more than ever, the master key to Argentine competitiveness, while rules of origin represent the strategic key that allows effective access to new international markets.
Therefore, this anniversary represents, above all, a celebration of new horizons. The speed achieved in recent months must be consolidated as a new standard for a growing MERCOSUR that is embracing competition and demonstrating that, when technology and political will align, the future ceases to be a promise and becomes the reality of a bloc that is the protagonist of its own destiny.
Highlighted
- Andrea Russo, Esq., “Reflections on the accumulation of origin in MERCOSUR”, Customs NewsMay 3, 2024 https://aduananews.com/reflexiones-sobre-la-acumulacion-de-origen-en-el-mercosur/
She holds a degree in International Trade (Universidad Nacional de Luján) with postgraduate studies in the Master's Degree in International Economic Relations (Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero). She has been a professional development fellow of the Organization of American States (OAS) at the George Washington University School of Law (USA). In the academic field, she is a professor at the Universidad Nacional de Luján. In the professional field, she has been an official of the Secretariat of Commerce dependent on the Ministry of Economy of the Nation, since 2005. Currently, she is the National Coordinator of the Technical Committee No. 3 "Trade Standards and Disciplines" in charge of the negotiations of rules of origin of MERCOSUR; in addition, she is the Alternate National Coordinator of the Technical Committee No. 8 "Transposition of nomenclature of trade agreements with third countries and groups of countries" also of MERCOSUR.