Regulating Sustainability: EU Trade Policy and Impact in Latin America with Dr. Alan Leal, PUC-RIO

In this episode of the EULAS Weaving Paths Podcast, we welcome Dr. Alan Leal, economist and senior analyst at PUC-Rio, to discuss how EU trade and climate regulations are reshaping relations between Europe and Latin America. We focus in particular on EU instruments such as the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and what they mean for producers, policymakers, and cooperation across the Atlantic. We cover: - What the EUDR and CBAM are, and how they exemplify the EU’s global regulatory influence, often described as the Brussels effect. - How EU environmental trade rules are experienced on the ground by Latin American producers, including insights from research in Brazil. - The debate around “green protectionism” and whether EU sustainability policies risk creating new trade barriers. - The future of EU–Latin America trade cooperation in a fragmented global trade system. - Whether it is possible to balance economic growth, environmental protection, and social inclusion through trade policy. - Areas of potential common ground for strengthening EU–LAC cooperation on trade and sustainability. This episode offers a timely and nuanced discussion of how environmental regulation, trade, and global governance intersect in EU–Latin America relations. 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast to hear more, and visit our website for updates: www.eulas.network You can also check out Alan’s latest research here: https://alanleal-econ.com/index.php/research/ #EULASPodcast #EUTrade #latinamerica #sustainability #globalgovernance #brusselseffect #deforestation #CBAM #EUDR #climatepolicy #EU #transatlanticrelations #trade