The President of the Republic, Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino, signed the accession agreements to the integrationist mechanism with the presence of his peers from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, in addition to Bolivia recently incorporated as a full member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Panama will be the first country outside the South American region to acquire the status of Mercosur Associated State, by the hand of Brazil, its sponsor country during this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That bloc also has Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname as Associated States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a note from Palacio de las Garzas (seat of the Panamanian Executive) the status of Associated State of Mercosur will allow Panama to have a cooperative relationship by accessing certain benefits of the bloc, without having to adhere to the Treaty of Asunci\u00f3n or the Agreement of the Common External Tariff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Representatives of Mercosur and Panama have already identified opportunities for both parties, according to that report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Official statistics show that in 2023, Panama’s trade exchange with Mercosur was 530.3 million dollars, 0.3 percent more than in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year, Panamanian exports to the trade bloc totaled 7.8 million dollars, distributed between Brazil (92.5 percent); Argentina (3.7); Uruguay (3.1); and Paraguay (0.7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These exports were concentrated in industrial products, and decaffeinated coffee are also shipped; confits, candies, pills; cocoa beans, whole or broken; cocoa powder without added sugar; cookies and unveined tobacco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, sales of fresh or refrigerated fish stand out; frozen fish; fresh or refrigerated tilapia fillets; among other items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Mercosur exported products to Panama for 522.4 million dollars; from Brazil 57.5 percent; followed by Argentina (28 percent); and then Uruguay, with 14.4 percent and much less from Paraguay, with 0.1 percent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of Mercosur exports were concentrated in agricultural and industrial products, including rice with shell; yellow corn; refined soybean oil; golden coffee; corn starch; seeds for sowing and beef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also delivered wines; corn for sowing; shrimp; squid and hake; and industrial products stand out, such as mixed vehicles and acid oils for the preparation of animal food; ceramics; wooden furniture and medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n