Toward the end of EU-Mercosur Interregionalism?

Since the early nineties regionalism has been a key element in the relations between Europe and South America. The EU has offered to Mercosur direct support based on its own integration experience. It has become an external unifier for South American regionalism and Mercosur has considered the EU as a reference. The EU and Mercosur have planed to establish an ambitious interregional Association agreement. However, since the beginning of the twenty first century the interregional relationship is going through a period of uncertainties. Several factors are affecting it such as the incoherence of the EU policy and the EU-Brazil partnership as well as the loose of EU influence combined with the political radicalism and economic nationalism in South America.