Mercosur: Political Development and Comparative Issues with the European Union. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol. 5 No. 19 July 2005

Guedes de Oliveira, Marcos Aurelio (2005) Mercosur: Political Development and Comparative Issues with the European Union. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol. 5 No. 19 July 2005.

Abstract

[Introduction]. In the last ten years Mercosur has become a viable instrument for the creation of a South American pole of economic development and integration as well as to enhance regional power in face of inter-regional and global negotiations. For many Europeans, Mercosur (1) is a child of the EU process and structures and should closely follow its model of integration; for many North-Americans it is being portrayed as nothing more than a regional political arrangement in order to better negotiate with the United States. They argue that Latin Americans do not have conditions to create a stable integration process. Surprisingly for everyone Mercosur is there and is growing despite all adversities. This essay discusses key aspects that Mercosur shares with the EU and stresses the particularities that once produced and maintain Mercosur as an original regional integration model.