News Analysis: Colombia poised to play key role in transformation of Mercosur

Colombia is positioning itself to play a key role in the expected transformation of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), the region's crucial trading bloc, and to promote integration with its newer counterpart, the Pacific Alliance.

Set up in 1991, Mercosur is perceived more as a left-leaning bloc that applies protectionist policies. In addition to its five full members -- Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela, it also has several associated members and observer members.

Colombia, as an associated member that can take part in Mercosur political forums and meetings, signed the Economic Complementation Agreement in 2004 which grants it preferential tariffs. But it does not participate in Mercosur's process of economic and trade integration, unlike its full members.

However, South America's changing political environment is bound to entail changes in the bloc's expected transformation due to the new leadership of Argentina and Brazil, and Colombia is working to deepen its role in Mercosur, particularly in the area of economy and trade, according to Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the coming years, Colombia plans to table certain issues at Mercosur, including cross-border mobility, educational integration and recognition of degrees between member states, and information exchange in matters of security, human rights and health.

Colombia's government is currently in peace talks with the country's largest guerrilla group, the Armed Revolutionary Front of Colombia. It could be well positioned to play a key role in South America's process of political transition, should it succeed in reaching a peace deal with the rebels.

While deepening its associated status, Colombia also aims to promote the bloc's integration with the Pacific Alliance, which the Pacific coast countries founded in 2011 to spur trade with Asia, gathering Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile. It has made a name among international investors for its efficiency.

The Colombian government says it sees Mercosur as a bridge to other countries in the region, which appears to be closing a cycle and entering a period of transition.

During an official visit to Brazil in early 2014, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said the Pacific Alliance was not in competition with Mercosur and welcomed the idea of greater synergy between the two to strengthen members in both blocs.

And today, greater collaboration between the two blocs seems more likely given the rise of pro-business administrations in Latin America.

"For Colombia, Mercosur represents an opportunity to strengthen ties with the Southern Cone countries and take advantage of this scenario to share good practices and opinions on topics that concern the region, as well as work on matters that are of great benefit to the citizens of the member and associate states," the ministry said.

"Our country's participation also seeks to contribute to a progressive complementarity of regional integration agendas in areas that allow it, to increase efficiency to attain better results and avoid the duplication of efforts in other regional integration mechanisms," the ministry added. Endi