Argentina en las Cadenas Globales de Valor Automotrices: Comercio Intermedio y Caracterización Tecnológica

Abstract

This article analyzes Argentina’s insertion into global value chains (GVCs) in the automotive sector between 1995 and 2023, with a particular focus on its bilateral trade with Brazil under Mercosur. Using OECD Trade in Value Added (TiVA) indicators and a technological classification of intermediate goods, the study examines both backward and forward linkages as well as the technological content of exports. The results show that Argentina’s automotive industry is highly dependent on imported inputs (backward linkages) and plays a more limited role as a supplier in subsequent production stages (forward linkages), although its contribution through intermediate goods has grown over time. The bilateral analysis with Brazil, based on trade data for auto parts (HS 8708) and the trade complementarity index, confirms the regional interdependence of this sector and highlights Mercosur’s role as a regulatory framework. Overall, the findings reveal a specialization pattern centered on medium-technology products, particularly engineering, and underscore the need for an articulated regional industrial and trade strategy that would enable Argentina to strengthen its position in GVCs and move toward higher value-added activities.