Abstract
In an international context characterized by a growing multipolarity, formerly predominant North-South interregional ties are now being challenged by renewed South-South relations. Following this transformation, South America has been diversifying its alliances by engaging in new interregional arrangements that include other regional partners in the Global South. Seeking to contribute to international relations’ literature on the role of interregional cooperation and understanding sustainability as a precondition for equitable development, the article assesses the limits and opportunities provided by traditional (North-South) vis-à-vis newer (South-South) interregional partnerships for South America’s sustainable development. We discuss that even when South-South interregional cooperation constitutes a relevant contemporary development that puts under scrutiny the role of the European Union as the exclusive hub of interregionalism, these new forms of association are not yet prioritizing sustainable and equal development as a guiding value in its cooperative actions. This finding stands out as particularly evident in the region’s strategic associations with extra-regional emerging economies.
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Notes
- 1.
For more detailed information over each one of the three pillars see: “Interregional Framework Cooperation Agreement between the European Commission and its Member States, of the one part, and the Southern Common Market and its Party States, of the other part with exchange of letters” Madrid December 15th, 1995.
- 2.
Fourth Generation Agreements are framework agreements that set the principles for the cooperation relationship basing on reciprocity and common interests, setting the starting point for a gradual development of its contents through negotiations among the parties. Its final goal is the creating of a free trade area through the deepening of a political dialog, including also a broader cooperation in other arenas such as science, culture, education, migrations, crime, etc. For more information see: Sobrino Heredia, J. 2005. Las relaciones y los acuerdos de carácter bilateral y multilateral de la Union Europea y el Subcontinente Centro y Sudamericano.
- 3.
Definition proposed by the Oslo Symposium in 1994 and adopted by the III Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD III) in 1995.
- 4.
Among the most relevant we can find the CMC decision know as “Environmental management and SME Cleaner Production Promotion” (Decision CMC N03/02) and the “Principles of Cleaner Production for SME Declaration” passed by Environment Ministers of MERCOSUR in 2003.
- 5.
GTZ “founded in 1975 is in charge of executing technical cooperation projects. The funds used by this agency come from German government subsidies. These contributions are mainly oriented to financing, staff training and work materials (…) Local agencies for execution also receive financial support if they are able to guarantee the project’s independence and their implementation” (Pinto Pirzkall 2007: 4). Since 2011 GTZ has been merged with DED (Deustcher Entwicklungsdienst) a single organization called GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit).
- 6.
Throughout the “Pilot Project on Sustainable Public Procurement” the bloc introduced its first initiative for the inclusion of sustainable consumption practices into the routine of the main state-run organs. UNEP through its Regional Sustainable Production & Consumption Program, an initiative that is under the umbrella or the Marrakesh process, works on the development of pilot project on Sustainable Public Purchasing along all Latin America and the Caribbean (MERCOSUR/PNUMA 2008).
- 7.
CMC Decision N 26/07.
- 8.
GMC Resolution N 41/09.
- 9.
- 10.
“Presupuesto programa. Programa de Apoyo a la Profundización del Proceso de Integración Económica y de Desarrollo Sostenible del MERCOSUR” (ECONORMAS MERCOSUR). DCI- ALA/2009/19707. We must take into consideration that this objective replaces what was initially announced in the action plan that pretended “the harmonization of regulations and technical standards among MERCOSUR countries looking for a convergence with European standards in matters of quality and security of the products traded by the parts” Ficha de Acción de 2008 (DCI-ALA 2008/19707).
- 11.
According to statistics from the International Studies Center (CEI) of the Argentinean External Relations Ministry, up to 2010 the EU was MERCOSUR’s main trade partner with a total of 55,590 millions of dollars in exports exiting MERCOSUR towards the EU. This represents 23.4 % of all MERCOSUR’s exports for that year. Likewise, MERCOSUR imported goods and services from the EU at a total of 48.105 millions of dollars, representing that amount 21.8 % of the total of imports made by MERCOSUR from the rest of the world. Therefore the EU is the main origin of MERCOSUR’s imports.
- 12.
These countries include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
- 13.
For more information see: “Joint Declaration for Enhanced Cooperation on Energy between the European Union and the Government of India” available at http://ec.europa.eu/energy/international/bilateral_cooperation/india_en.htm
- 14.
In 2009 MERCOSUR and the South African Customs Union (SACU) signed a Fixed Preferences Agreement. On the other hand also since 2009 a Trade Preferential Agreement between MERCOSUR and the Republic of India is into force. For more information visit the Organization of American States (OAS) External Trade Information System at: http://www.sice.oas.org/
- 15.
ASA official website for the III Summit Africa-South America held in May 2012 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. For more information visit: www.asa-malabo.org
- 16.
Brazil was the country that pushed a framework proposal for interregional cooperation on this agenda. The official document can be fund at: http://www2.mre.gov.br/aspa/ASPA_Framework_Proporsal_of_Cooperation_on_UNCCD.doc
- 17.
Antonio Patriota Minister of Foreign Relations underscored in his official discourse during the Summit that “Since the first summit that took place in Brasilia in 2005 trade between the two regions went from USD 13,600 millions of dollars to USD 27,400 millions”.
- 18.
In South America, Brazil and emerging power itself, is the actor that with greater efficiency has spread cooperative links with the Global South through a variety of thematic areas that go from humanitarian help or agricultural aid, to the development of new forms of bioenergy.
- 19.
For further information on this recent tendency on FDI inflows in L.A and MERCOSUR countries see: ECLAC (2011) “Chapter III: Direct Investment by China in Latin America and the Caribbean” in Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2010. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Santiago, Chile.
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Fulquet, G. (2015). From North-South to South-South Power Relations: The Changing Dynamics of Interregional Cooperation and Its Effects on South America’s Sustainable Development. In: Lenger, A., Schumacher, F. (eds) Understanding the Dynamics of Global Inequality. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44766-6_9
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