Presentation and discussion of the research study “The participation of civil society in European Union-Mercosur relations: lessons learned and some reflections toward greater prominence in the bi-regional dialogue”, produced by Ignacio Jotvis, Head of Campaigns in the EU team of the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in London, UK.

As with any bi-regional dialogue, the importance of the participation of civil society in EU-Mercosur relations is fundamentally rooted in the idea that said particpation, in addition to granting a legitimacy to the dialogue, represents a basic element for promoting the inclusion of the social dimension onto the bi-regional agenda. Since 2004, negotiations for an association agreement between the EU and Mercosur have come to a standstill. However, this hiatus in discussions does not remove EU-Mercosur civil society from the bi-regional plane, though it certainly presents many challenges in terms of where and how the so-called “third sector” should be inserted at this stage of relations to achieve a significant degree of impact.

In this research work, the author studies the past and present of the different spheres (institutionalised or not) of civil society participation in the bi-regional dialogue, in addition to presenting a few necessary initial proposals for moving towards a more effective participation.

Chair: Anna Ayuso, Latin America Programme, CIDOB Foundation
Comentator: Manuel Cienfuegos, Pompeu Fabra University