Abstract

MOHAMMEDDINOV, Mikhail. Mercosur and the European Union: Variations among factors of regional cohesion. Polis [online]. 2005, vol.1, n.2, pp.169-204. ISSN 2594-0686.

This article proposes a framework to compare regional blocs. This model utilizes selected European integration theories and it is applied to the examination of regional cohesion within Mercosur and European Union. The comparison between these two cooperative groups demonstrates that in spite of being common markets, they are vastly different. This study also underlines the importance shown by noneconomic factors and the necessity of evaluating the success of integrating associations outside Europe within the context of local realities which do not use the criteria adopted by the EU.

Keywords : Mercosur; European Union; regional integration; regionalism; globalization; integration theory.