BRICs: Novos competidores no comércio internacional de serviços?

Although the flows of international trade in services remain relatively concentrated in the European Union and the United States, a significant increase in emerging economies participation in them, particularly the BRICS, has been observed in recent years. According to IMF data, the average annual growth of services exports from the BRICS has been twice the one observed in OECD countries since 2003, what attests an increase in the relative importance of these countries in international trade in services. Given the rapid growth of trade in services in the BRICS, this article aims to analyze the participation of those countries in international trade in services. In order to do so, I analyze comparatively the participation of the BRICS in trade in services and identify competition and cooperation agendas between them. Then, the participation of the BRICS in New Dynamic Sectors trade is analyzed. Finally, I conclude that among the BRICS, only China and India seem to be able to assume positions of greater prominence in trade in services, particularly in sectors such as computing and information, as to India, and transport and other business services, in the case of China. Brazil and Russia tend to find some room for expansion in other business services and South Africa in travel.