The declaration of Manaos, subscribed by both Venezuelan and Brazilian businessmen on September 15th, has set forth binational policies with the purpose of: facilitating and diversifying transportation; establishing corrections of non tariff related measures applied by both countries, and projecting mechanisms of mass information concerning the use of brands and patents in the Common Market of the South ( Mercosur) and in the Andean Community of Nations (CAN).

This manifesto was agreed upon after the entrepreneurial encounter, prior to the II business round to be held in Manaos on Oct. 23rd , and presented before the presidents of Venezuela and Brazil; Hugo Chávez and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva respectively. It is intended to improve the conditions of economic and commercial integration between both countries; for which they have considered necessary:

– To promote specific actions that strengthen Latin American regional integration; including real methods of cooperation, complementation and social inclusion; taking into consideration the inequalities between the economies of both countries.
– To extend the terms of reciprocal payments and of Latin American Integration Association (Aladi) loans.
– To identify, and establish corrections for, non tariff related measures applied by both countries in bilateral trade operations.
– To establish and project mechanisms of mass information concerning the use of brands and patents in Mercosur and in the CAN.
– To create and consolidate mechanisms that facilitate commercial trade in the border areas, in view of Venezuela’s geographical proximity to northern and northeastern Brazil.
– To facilitate the validation of sanitary permits and the like.
– To validate an extension of the work schedules of both the Venezuelan and the Brazilian customs agencies (Seniat and the Receitas Federal, respectively), in order to adapt them to the expected bilateral commercial flow and the free traffic of citizens.
– To provide massive information about offer and demand, and about the inventory of companies in the energy business, in order to define opportunities for mutual complementation and investment
– To propitiate cooperation agreements on energy business matters, taking into consideration the complementary nature of both economies, in order to achieve equilibrium in the trade balance
– To speed up the publication of agreed commercial tariffs in the official gazettes of both countries.
– To promote active participation by all private and public sectors in the energy business in the Oil Show, an event to take place in Rio, in October.
– Revision and implementation of the complementary agreement on tourism, subscribed on February 8th, 2000.
– To develop a bilingual tourist traffic signaling system in the tourist road BR174 and on Road 10
– To design training programs that generate conscience; amongst the population in general, and among agents and employees in the tourist business, about the importance of tourism for the border area.
– To establish commercial air traffic between the northern region of Brazil and Venezuela, under conditions of unlimited availability of passenger seats, from any departure point and to any destination in either country.
– To develop an intergovernmental policy of technical agricultural cooperation, provided that the producers of both countries have direct access to the results of such cooperation.
– To designate a commission for the harmonization and adaptation of the Venezuelan and Brazilian sanitary regulations for animal and vegetable products.
– To increase the capacity of production of the Venezuelan fertilizer processing plants, in order to guarantee sufficient offer and supply for the markets of Venezuela and northern Brazil.
– To put into effect the preliminary agreement for technological development and production of soy and castor-oil plant in Venezuela, subscribed by both countries in March, 2003.
– To promote development in the border area between Venezuela and the Zone Under Reclamation with Guyana, through the construction of the Tumeremo Agrorindustrial Complex; with financing from Bandes (Venezuelan State Bank for Social Development). (This complex will generate 15,000 direct jobs and diminish indiscriminate mining activity and the consequent pollution of the Caroní river area.)
– To study the possibility of Bandes financing of the completion, by Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG), of the bridge over the Caroní river, parallel to the Caruachi dam, that will connect Ciudad Bolívar directly with Upata, and then with the road network (that goes as far as Manaos), thus avoiding traffic jams in Ciudad Guayana.
– To promote the Feasibility Study of the construction project of Puerto Atlántico (Atlantic Port), in the mouth of the Orinoco river.
– To loosen restrictions on risk coverage, in order for the productive sectors of both countries to be able to use the line of credit of 1billion U$ offered by Bandes to the Venezuelan government.
– To stimulate and to promote strategic associations and alliances that give an impulse to an economy based on solidarity, in support of the microeconomic sector as well as of the small and medium businesses.
– To promote the creation of a Latin American Guarantee Fund.
– To create a Binational Technical and Financial Commission, integrated by institutions represented in the Financial Integration Table, whose next meeting will be held in the next Brazilian -Venezuelan round.

Published in Quantum No 32

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