European Union (EU)-Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) relations are developed on three different levels: regional, sub-regional, and bilateral. The three pillars of these relations are economic cooperation, political dialogue and trade. On the regional level, the EU has institutionalized relations with the Rio Group, which includes all of the Latin American countries, and is the basis of the bi-regional political dialogue between the EU and Latin America. Since 1999, Summits of the Heads of State and Government of the EU, Latin American and Caribbean countries have convened every few years to strengthen and provide direction to the bi-regional relations (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 1999; Madrid, Spain, 2002; Guadalajara, Mexico, 2004; Vienna, Austria, 2006; Lima, Peru, 2008; and Madrid, Spain, 2010). The EU has supported sub-regional integration in Latin American through economic cooperation and dialogue with the Central American Common Market, Caribbean Community, MERCOSUR, and the Andean Community. In addition to these regional and sub-regional frameworks the EU has developed bilateral relations with each of the individual Latin American countries.
EU PUBLICATIONS:
The European Union and LAC: A New Stage in the Strategic Partnership
The EU and Brazil: Tackling Global Challenges Together
EU INSTITUTIONS:
EEAS
High Representative, Ms. Ashton
EEAS Andean Community
EEAS Latin America
EEAS MERCOSUR
LATIN AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS:
Andean Community
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat
MERCOSUR
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
UNASUR
WEB RESEARCH SOURCES:
Instituto para la Integración de América Latina y el Caribe (INTAL)- Banco Interamerican de Desarrollo (BID)
ACADEMIC SOURCES:
Mary Farrell, Björn Hettne, and Luk Van Langenhove, eds., Global Politics of Regionalism: Theory and Practice (London: Pluto, 2005).
Louise Fawcett and Andrew Hurrell, Regionalism in World Politics: Regional Organization and International Order (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995).
