ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the Sao Paulo's national and international role in specific processes of economic globalization. Particular attention goes to the Mercosur regional bloc and its capacity to articulate the cross-border region with the global economy. The centrality of Sao Paulo in the articulation of the Mercosur cross-border region required heavy national investments in regional infrastructure to overcome surface flow obstacles and to build digital networks. In this sense, the concept of cross-border projects should encompass not only the physical systems and the services that flow among countries but the creation of international joint ventures on specific projects whose scopes do not cross borders in the strictly physical sense of the word. Considering that the Mercosur expansion of cross-border transactions depends largely on the implementation of specific infrastructure projects, as well as on a coherent and effective regulatory framework, it stands to reason that environmental aspects, social rights, and fair trading should be addressed from a common regional standpoint.
