The end of the Cold War, the peace process in Central America, the process of democratization as well as an exterior oriented economic model have enabled Latin America’s reinsertion on the international scene. At the same time, a process of open regionalization has been awakened by the consolidation of political regimes, as well as the will to create an economic takeoff in the subcontinent and take better advantage of globalization. Mercosur is an example of this type of open integration in Latin America, and the European Union has approached it since its birth in order to develop economic and political ties, the beginnings of which can be seen in the basis already laid for an inter-regional association. In a globalized world, often confronted with American unipolarity and unilateralism, this strategic partnership aims as much to create commercial ties as to contribute to the reconstruction of a multipolar world. However, this effort to bring the two regions together has caused commercial differences to emerge which have harmed this partnership. – Summary AFRI-2001