Policies and actors of international trade, environment and digital economy

This elective course, offered to undergraduate students at Fundação Getulio Vargas, provides information and analysis on international trade policy, with emphasis on international organizations and negotiation forums, as well as regulations created by the main actors in global trade. Special attention is given to two key topics in international trade: the environment and the digital economy. Today, international trade encompasses agricultural and industrial goods, services, intellectual property, sustainability, and e-commerce. International organizations directly involved include the WTO, OECD, IMF, UN, and WIPO. The main actors are the United States, the European Union, China, and several developing countries such as Brazil, India, South Africa, and Russia. In addition to the regulations established in international forums, certain mega preferential trade agreements have driven the expansion of new trade rules. Notable examples include the TPP and CPTPP (led by the United States), the RCEP (led by China), and EU+ (the European Union’s agreements with Japan, Canada, and South Korea). Brazil is a member of several international organizations such as the WTO, IMF, and WIPO, but has not yet joined the OECD. In terms of preferential trade agreements, it participates only in Mercosur. The agreement with the European Union has not yet been finalized. The central question of the course is whether Brazil can maintain its closed economy, remaining isolated from trade agreements and mega-agreements. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach? What are the costs of isolation for the country’s agriculture, industry, and overall modernization? Other relevant topics include how Brazil should negotiate international rules on intellectual property, the environment, and digital assets. Can the country afford to remain a secondary player in the international arena? What strategies should be pursued?