EU ties to Latin America require revamping, analysts say

Spain, the current EU Presidency country, hosted a series of political dialogues between European Union, Latin American and Caribbean nations, May 2010. But analysts doubted they would suffice to move relations forward significantly.

The Prime Minister of the Spanish government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, announced on the 17 May 2010 that the EU and Mercosur had decided to resume negotiations for reaching an association agreement, which will be the most important of its kind ever to be signed by the EU.

• Primary Source

Spain: EU Presidency: News: IV EU-Mercosur Summit http://www.eu2010.es/en/cumbre_ue-alc/noticias/may17_mercosur.html

EurActiv, 18.5.10: Zapatero proposes EU-style Latin American Union http://www.euractiv.com/en/foreign-affairs/zapatero-proposes-eu-style-latin-american-union-news-494250

Spain: EU Presidency: News: European Union - Latin America and the Caribbean Summit, Madrid, 17 May 2010 http://www.eu2010.es/en/cumbre_ue-alc/noticias/may17_cariforum.html

BBC News, 17.5.10: EU seeks trade breakthrough with Latin America http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8686822.stm

European Commission: DG External Relations: The EU's relations with Latin America http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/la/index_en.htm

France24, 17.5.10: EU and Mercosur attempt to revive deadlocked trade talks http://www.france24.com/en/20100517-eu-mercosur-trade-talks-zapatero-business-americas-europe

El País, 17.5.10: EU must seize Latin American opportunity (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/252421-eu-must-seize-latin-american-opportunity

PressEurop, 20.5.10: Deal or no deal with Latin America? http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/255911-deal-or-no-deal-latin-america

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