Global Voices on Regional Integration." ZEI Discussion Paper No. 176, 2007 (original) (raw)

The EU as a Motor for Regional Integration 13 ample in Sudan, through the specially developed "African Peace Facility". The European Union has made available some €450 million for the deployment of African Union peace troops in Darfur. Economic partnership agreements (EPAs) for regulating trade and economic and political cooperation are currently being negotiated between the EU and the 78 ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) States. In accordance with the Cotonou principle of differentiation and regionalisation, developing countries are currently organised into six regional groups in order to promote both regional integration and social cohesion. There are also similar agreements with regional organisations in Asia and Latin America. For example, we are currently in negotiations with the ASEAN countries regarding partnership and cooperation agreements extending to areas such as migration, human rights and non-proliferation. Dialogues are also being pursued on sectoral matters such as climate change, energy and the information society. The EU supports the efforts of ASEAN to enhance regional cooperation in SouthEast Asia. In Latin America, alongside the very fruitful relations between the EU and the Mercosur countries, there is also enhanced cooperation with the Central American Community and the Andean Community. Only recently we launched negotiations for a comprehensive association agreement with the Central American Community. The objective is to add depth to the political dialogue between both regions, to intensify and improve cooperation in a variety of areas, and to develop further the bi-regional economic links, including in the areas of trade and investment. As is the case with all biregional agreements, this agreement will be negotiated on a 'region-toregion' basis in order to provide more impetus to regional integration in Central America. The European example shows that regional integration is a crucial factor for greater stability, significant progress and sustainable economic development that will benefit the people living in the region. It also contributes to integrating the various regions into the world economy.

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