The Age of Geoeconomics: How Strategic is the EU-Mercosur Agreement?

The relationship between the European Union and Mercosur is entering a new chapter, with significant implications for trade, investment and cooperation across the Atlantic. As both regions navigate a changing global economic landscape, strengthening their partnership presents opportunities to deepen economic ties and address shared challenges.

In this session, Marcos Troyjo will discuss the evolving EU–Mercosur relationship and its broader significance for transatlantic cooperation. Professor Troyjo is the MIT Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow at the Center for International Studies, a Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD and a Global Leadership Fellow at Cornell University. He previously served as Brazil’s Deputy Economy Minister and Special Secretary for Foreign Trade & International Affairs, where he was one of the leading negotiators of the European Union–Mercosur Agreement. He also served as President of the New Development Bank (NDB), becoming the first Westerner to lead a multilateral organization headquartered in Asia.

Drawing on his extensive experience in government, multilateral finance, academia and international economic affairs, Professor Troyjo will explore the opportunities and challenges facing the EU–Mercosur partnership, as well as the role of stronger economic and institutional ties in shaping the future of relations between Europe and South America.

The session will be moderated by Germán Ríos, Chair of the Observatory on Latin American Politics and Economics at IE University.