Hacia una Nueva Estrategia en las Relaciones Unión Europea – América Latina

Ten years after the launching in 1995 of the EU’s strategy for Latin America, the relations between both regions are stalled and it demands changes in order to be adapted to the new situation that influence both regions. Latin America seems to be losing relevance in a partner of a EU that is facing the challenges of enlargement, constitutional crisis, and the neighbour policy. Latin America is crossing a phase of political and economic change and crisis in his schemes of regional integration. New leaderships are emerging, and difficult choices shell be made between a closer relationship with the United States or the new project of the South American Community of Nations. In this scenario, this policy paper suggest four main goals for the EU-Latin America partnership: a) development and social cohesion; b) international autonomy, regionalism and integration for Latin America; c) EU’s presence in Latin America; and d) the strengthening of the strategic partnership. These proposals are based on the study “Latin America-study on Relations between the EU and Latin America: New perspectives”, commissioned by the DG-Relex (External Relations) of the European Commission to the Complutense Institute for International Studies. It derived of the research carried out by a team of 24 scholars of both regions, and the views expressed in 260 interviews with European and American relevant individuals.