Tariffs no longer tell the whole story of South American trade.

A company may have a tariff preference and still be shut out of a market because of registrations, repeated testing, incompatible labels, permits, inspections, lack of information or border delays. "Invisible Barriers in South America 2026" turns that complexity into a map for decision-making.

The report builds on new CEPAL evidence published in November 2026. Non-tariff measures represent an average ad valorem equivalent of 13% in intra-regional trade in Latin America and the Caribbean, well above the aggregate tariff of around 1%. The estimated cost reaches 36% in agriculture and livestock, 22% in non-energy mining, 15% in food and beverages, and 13% in vehicles and transport equipment. The document explains what these figures mean, what they do not mean, and why they should not be confused with taxes or treated as automatic evidence of protectionism.

The research connects regulation with trade outcomes. In the first half of 2026, Latin American exports grew 19.5%, but exports destined for the region itself rose only 7.8%; the intra-regional share fell to 12.2%. The report shows why commodity prices, orientation toward Asia, the United States and Europe, weak connectivity and the fragmentation of standards prevented the commodity boom from translating into denser regional value chains.

The comparison covers Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. It also analyzes MERCOSUR, the Andean Community and the Pacific Alliance, carefully distinguishing when a source refers to South America, Latin America, or Latin America and the Caribbean. It does not present a misleading country ranking: it explains how product mix, update year and administrative practice alter the indicators.

For companies, the value lies in execution. The report proposes calculating the total cost of market access, creating regional master dossiers, validating laboratories, designing regulatory contracts and prioritizing markets where certificates and data can be reused. For suppliers, it identifies opportunities in laboratories, certification, traceability, regulatory software, specialized logistics and regulatory monitoring. For governments and business associations, it offers a roadmap with indicators for days, documents, tests, rejections and cost per shipment.

This product is aimed at exporters, importers, chambers of commerce, promotion agencies, consultancies, investors, logistics operators, laboratories and authorities that need to move from general discussion about integration to concrete decisions by sector, product and corridor. It is a tool for recognizing where regulation protects, where it duplicates, and where it can become a competitive advantage.