THE EU AND
LATIN AMERICA
IRGN 490
WINTER 2015
OUTLINE
 The EU: Creation and Characteristics
 Orientation toward Latin America
 Spain
 Germany
 France
 Cuba
 Conclusion
WHAT IS IT?
 An economic and political union of 28 member
states and more than 500 million inhabitants (7.3%
of world population)
 GDP (in 2012) of $16.6 trillion dollars, 23% of global
nominal GDP (largest in world) or 20% in PPP terms
(second largest in world)
 Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 for having
“contributed to the advancement of peace and
reconciliation, democracy, and human rights in
Europe.”
INSTITUTIONAL EVOLUTION
 European Coal and Steel Community (1951)
 European Economic Community (1958)
 European Community (1967)
 Single European Act (1986)
 European Union (1993)
 Treaty of Maastricht (1993, established CFSP)
 Treaty of Lisbon (2009)
 Original goals:
 Promote economic development and recovery
 Prevention of war/containment of Germany
 Halt spread of communism
KEY INSTITUTIONS
 European Council (“supreme political authority,”




collective head of state; convenes four times/year)
European Commission (executive arm, responsible
for initiating legislation and day-to-day operations)
Council of the EU (implements policy, responsible
for CFSP)
European Parliament (directly elected through PR;
one-half of legislature along with Council)
Sub-areas:


Schengenland (1985 = 25 member states)
Eurozone (2002 = 18 member states)
ENLARGEMENT OVER TIME
 ECSC:
 1952 = Benelux + France, Italy, West Germany
 EEC:
 1958 = Inner Six (above)
 EC :
 1981 = Greece
 1983 = Denmark, Ireland, UK
 1986 = Portugal, Spain
 1990 = Reunited Germany
 EU:
 1995 = Austria, Finland, Sweden
ENLARGEMENT (ii)
 EU:
 1995 = Austria, Finland, Sweden
 2004 = Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
 2007 = Romania, Bulgaria
 2013 = Croatia
 Candidates for admission:
 Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey
“QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING”
COUNCIL OF THE EU
 Germany, France, Italy, UK = 29 votes
 Spain and Poland = 27
 Romania = 14
 Netherlands = 13
 Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal




= 12
Austria, Bulgaria, Sweden = 10
Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia,
Finland = 7
Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovenia = 4
Malta = 3
IMPLICATIONS
 Smaller countries over-represented
 Total votes = 352, majority = 176 +1
 Big Four control 116 votes (39.5%), need 66 to reach
majority
 Inner Six control 145
INTERNAL ISSUES
 Sovereignty vs. supranationality
 Authority
 Identity
 Asymmetries (of power, wealth)
 Responsibility for economic crisis
 Imposition of austerity plans
 Dilemmas of enlargement
 Markets and productive capacity
 Social cohesion funds
 Development of “foreign” policy
 Relationship to other institutions
 NATO
 IFIs
ORIENTATION TOWARD
LATIN AMERICA
 Historic ties of Europe with Latin America
 Conquest and colonization
 Commerce and territories: Spain, UK, France, Germany (see
Modern Latin America, ch. 15)
 Initial focus of ECSC, EEC, EC, EU on European
integration and development


During Cold War
After Cold War
 Only Spain with high priority on relations with Latin
America (post-1986)
EU-LATIN AMERICA FTAs
 Mexico (2000)
 Chile (2003)
 Colombia (2013)
 Central America (2013)
 Peru (2013)
DIRECTIONS OF POLICY -MAKING
 Uploading: shaping EU policy in accord with
national preferences
 Downloading: national policy conforming to EU
policy
 Crossloading (sideways): socialization and learning
among national and EU actors
 Note: Complexity of policy processes
SPAIN: GETTING STARTED
 Runup to Accession (1986)
 Redrafting foreign policy after Franco
 Joining EEC a central goal for reasons of domestic politics;
pro-European stance
 Intent: upload Latin America as priority for EU
 Peace process in Central America through EEC
 Cross-loading with France and Germany
 Spain as Member State (1986-early 1990s)
 EC involvement in Esquipulas accords
 EU-Rio Group dialogue (1990)
 Ibero-American Summit (1991)
SPAIN: SHIFTING GEARS
 Uploading after the Cold War
 Manuel Marín as key player
 Focus on FTAs
 Conservative party and “common position” on Cuba (1996)
 “Strategic Partnership” in EU-LAC summit (1999)
 Bilateral Dimensions
 Accessions from Central/Eastern Europe
 Millennium Development Goals at UN
 WTO instead of FTAs; EU share of LAC exports declining
 Changing perceptions of EU; constraints of downloading
 “Constructive engagement” with Cuba
 Role of Ibero-American community
GERMANY, EU, and LATIN AMERICA
 Initial Posture toward EU
 Strong pro-European stance
 Advocate for Latin America (1960s-70s)
 Falklands/Malvinas response “European, rather than German”
 Historic Involvement
 Major trading partner in late 19th century
 Zimmerman Telegram (1917)
 Substantial German communities
 Central America (1980-86)
 Protect détente in face of Reagan radicalism
 Maintain U.S. focus on Europe, avoid a major mistake
 Promotion of democracy and regional cooperation
GERMANY: SHIFTING ATTITUDES
 Pulling Back (1980s-1990s)
 Accession of Spain and Portugal
 Reunification of Germany
 Peace accords in Central America
 2010 Strategy Paper
 Call for stronger national voice
 Uphold “common position” on Cuba
 Acknowledgement of other actors (UN, G20, OAS)
 Emphasis on trade and investment
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
 Historic Dimensions
 Links to libertadores and elites
 Intervention in Mexico (1861-67)
 Territorial possessions: Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guiana
 Coinage of term “Latin America”
 Political Strategems
 Réservoire of votes against U.S. hegemony
 Common Market for agricultural sector (and “banana regime”)
 EEC position on Falklands/Malvinas
 Joint declaration with Mexico on El Salvador (1981)
 EEC participation in San José Dialogue, support for Contadora
 Ambivalence on Cuba
 “Outsourcing” to EU
UPDATES: THE EU AND CUBA
 1996: Council Common Position
 restrictions on relations pending democratic reform
 rejected by Cuba as interference in domestic affairs
 2006-08: Power from Fidel to Raúl
 2011 +: initiation of reforms in Cuba
 increased free-market activity
 elimination of exit visa
 release of dissidents
 “Ladies in White” and Guillermo Fariñas receive Sakharov
Prize
 2014: initiation of negotiations for “Political
Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement”
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS (i)
 18 member states have agreements with Cuba
 EU is Cuba’s biggest investor and second biggest
trading partner (after Venezuela)
 Cuba a member of ACP group since 2000
 EU-CELAC forum a framework for dialogues
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS (ii)
 Complexity of interests and decision-making
processes
 Geopolitics and geoeconomics
 National vs. supranational authority
 Shifting coalitions vs. permanent institutions
 And now? Focus on internal disputes