Venezuela joins Mercosur: by joining Mercosur, Venezuela has leveraged its investment options.

Venezuela has finally joined the Mercosur trade bloc, leveraging its options for attracting new foreign investment and for increasing international trade, which should affect all segments of the paint and coatings industry favorably. The Mercosur group, which also includes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, has a trade agreement in place with the European Union, but member countries still are negotiating to form the U.S.-proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Each of the Mercosur countries reported increased trade among member countries when they