Post by Alek Umont

European regulations are no longer merely shaping markets; they are increasingly reshaping international power relations. In this Strategic Note published by La Ligne Fine – Institut, Diana Moșneanu and I examine what I believe is a fundamental question: How are European requirements on sustainability, due diligence and traceability transforming the relationship between the European Union and Mercosur? Beyond trade, these regulations are creating new institutional asymmetries: the ability to comply is gradually becoming a strategic resource in itself. This paper explores the European Union’s normative power, its concrete effects on global agricultural supply chains, and the limits and tensions such transformations may generate.