Mercosur: EU free trade agreement offers opportunities
Together with customers, a. hartrodt wants to expand the South American trade route.
Jan van Tienhoven, Managing Partner of a. hartrodt, who is responsible for South America among other things, welcomes the "new strategic view of the occasionally overlooked continent". He sees "incredible potential" there and expects impetus from the future free trade agreement that the European Union (EU) and the Mercosur states of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay have agreed on at the end of 2024. "This could open up a new sales market for our customers in the current geopolitical environment," he says. This is a process that a. hartrodt would like to accompany and expand the South American trade route together with customers.
Experience with various products
When it comes to exports from the EU, Jan van Tienhoven sees the agreement primarily as an opportunity for machinery, industrial and pharmaceutical products. For exports from the Mercosur states, he focuses on wine, chocolate and textiles: "These are all products that our customers already transport with us and in which we have experience." He hopes that the volumes of this particular transatlantic trade will increase.
FCL/LCL sea freight plus airfreight via Frankfurt hub
The majority of goods between the EU and South America are handled by a. hartrodt as sea freight, both full container loads (FCL) and less than container loads (LCL). The freight forwarder intends to further expand both via the South Atlantic. Airfreight products from Europe are mainly sold by a. hartrodt from the Frankfurt hub directly to Latin America. In the Mercosur region, a. hartrodt has its own company in Argentina, where Jan van Tienhoven used to work himself. Bolivia has been part of Mercosur since July 2024 – a. hartrodt has been present there for 15 years. In view of the free trade agreement, "an expansion to Brazil and Paraguay/Uruguay should also be considered".
While the EU-Mercosur pact is due to come into force at the end of 2026, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with Switzerland, among others, also wants to sign a Mercosur agreement. "This could open doors for our office in Switzerland," says Jan van Tienhoven.