this paper aims to evaluate a number of spatial aspects of brazils current trade policy, emphasizing those relating to economic integration in general, and bilateral trade with argentina in particular. a national computable general equilibrium model was developed and implemented (efes-arg), in order to evaluate the sectoral impact of different trade integration strategies with specific economic countries/blocs. moreover, efes-arg was integrated with an interstate trade model such that the national results obtained were regionalized. the analysis of the short-run regional aspects of brazilian trade policy reveals a trend towards concentration of the level of economic activity in the states of the brazilian south and southeast. the results draw attention to a phenomenon that has permeated the debate on the regional issue, namely the role of trade as an engine of growth.
