CURITIBA, BRAZIL (Special Correspondent) .- The Argentine Confederation of Medium-sized Enterprises (CAME) has signed a contract with the Brazilian Service for the Support of Micro and Small Enterprises of the state of Paraná (SEBRA PR) the so-called “Curitiba Charter”, with which small and medium-sized enterprises represented by the entities of the two countries will seek doing business together.

This declaration, signed on Friday, was the result of two days of work and meetings between a delegation of 15 CAME entrepreneurs with the main commercial entities of the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil.

“What has been agreed with the Brazilian colleagues puts us on an equal footing with SMEs from both countries“, highlighted Alfredo Gonzalezhead of the CAME, who led the delegation.

For his part, the superintendent director of SEBRAE PR, Vitor Roberto Tioquetahe underlined: “That it is not a letter of intent, it is a letter solve”.

The agreement was attended by the Argentine ambassador to Brazil, Daniele Scioli, and establishes, inter alia, the “defense and promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises” in both countries, as well as the goal of “establishing direct business opportunities that arise from the new world scenario “.

“Curitiba is a city with many opportunities for small and medium-sized Argentine entrepreneurs and the main gateway to being the capital of the state of Paraná”, underlined González.

At the end of last week, for two days, the delegation led by the president of CAME and the secretary general of the institution, Ricardo Diab, met his Brazilian peers from the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil; a state they consider gateway for Argentine exports.

The 15 CAME entrepreneurs were in the Brazilian cities of Maringa and Curitiba to interact for two days with Brazilian colleagues and finalize a cooperation agreement focused on the development of the external market and the consolidation of Mercosur.

“We started this meeting with the aim of discussing and consolidating joint strategies that promote the bilateral development of the SME sector because we understand that it is necessary to start regionalize trade and Brazil is a big market with huge opportunities for Argentina, ”González explained to Clarín.

The mission to Brazil is part of the same objective that CAME businessmen went to at the end of September Uruguay and soon they will Paraguay.

According to González, the debate on regionalization takes place in an ideal context, taking into account the crisis of trade and logistics generated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Today the boats They no longer arrive in Argentina, they arrive in Santos so the south was pretty much off the hook and that’s money, “the businessman said.

During a welcome dinner organized in an outdoor venue, Alfredo Cecchipresident of the Mendoza Economic Federation, explained that regionalization is driven by the logistical situation in the world.

“In the midst of a pandemic, transport costs tripled and never returned to their previous price, nor was the frequency normalized. On the north-north axis yes, but on the north-south axis we are 30, 40% below“, held. Last year, businessmen detailed, a cargo It cost $ 3,900 and now costs $ 8,000.

The first stop was in Maringá and as a guest he officiated Jefferson Nogaroliwell-known entrepreneur from Maringa, CEO of a chain of 70 supermarkets with 10,000 employees, chairman of the board of a credit union (Sicoob) and ideologist of Eurogarden, a luxury and sustainable green city for retirees and which is under construction on 140 hectares of an old airport.

It was based on his experience at the head of the supermarket chain, City songthat the businessman assured that Brazil you need garlic, olive oil, wines, apples and pears “But there are opportunities for all sectors as long as they are be serious, committed and trustworthy”He warned.