The thesis is devoted to a comprehensive study of the cooperation of the European Union with the states and international organizations of Latin America and the Caribbean. The author of the research conducted a study of the prerequisites for EU–LAC cooperation, traced the positions of the EU, LAC states and organizations regarding interregional cooperation between the two regions, carried out a comprehensive analysis of the main forms and mechanisms of such cooperation.
In the first chapter, authors outlines conceptual principles of the study, defines and analyzes the content of the concepts of "interregional cooperation" and "interregionalism" as the theoretical basis for EU – LAC relations, provides an overview of the documents and scientific papers that became the basis for the analysis in the thesis and identifies area for the research.
The chapter analyzes the formulation of the EU policy towards LAC, identifies institutions that influence the establishment and development of relations with the countries and organizations of the region (special attention is paid to the role of the European Commission, the President of the European Council and the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy).
Author proposes classification of subjects of EU–LAC interregional cooperation - four major groups of countries in the LAC region that cooperate with the EU depending on the intensity of cooperation (1) EU strategic partners in the LAC region; 2) countries with established free trade area and enhanced political dialogue 3) other LAC countries - signatories of EU regional and national indicative programs; 4) states with which the EU periodically suspends or restricts cooperation, as well as 5 international intergovernmental organizations in LAC (CELAC, MERCOSUR, CAN, SICA and CARICOM). Four models of interaction between the two regions are identified: the model "EU - individual LAC countries", the model "individual EU countries - LAC countries", the model "organization - organization", the model "region - region". The author has proved that all models exist in parallel and this provides the parties of interregional dialogue with the necessary flexibility.
In second chapter, the author discusses the preconditions for the establishment of the cooperation, define the key periods of interregional cooperation, reviews the framework of such collaboration. The author analyzed and compared EU strategic documents on cooperation both with individual countries and international organizational in LAC and with the region as a whole as well as the main approaches of Latin American and Caribbean states and international organizations to interregional cooperation between the two regions. This information allowed to trace the change of priorities and highlight the main directions of the EU–LAC interregional dialogue.
The third chapter discusses the evolution of forms and mechanisms of EU – LAC interregional cooperation. The authors has traced the formations of these forms and mechanisms, determined their features. In the study, the author notes that the EU cooperates with countries and organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean in order to achieve common goals and principles through a range of political-diplomatic, financial, economic, trade, cultural, educational and other means. Over the past thirty years, the mechanisms of interregional cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean have been developing very actively. Actors of interregional cooperation have established a permanent dialogue through bilateral and multilateral meetings, which highlight the changes in the themes of such meetings and the expansion of the circle of participants. The parties to the interregional dialogue have constantly expanded the complex of mechanisms of joint interaction.
The author found that the main and politically most important mechanism of interregional dialogue is summit, which are held between different types of actors (according to “organization-state”, “organization-organization” and “region-region” model) from both the EU and the LAC.
A special attention was paid to a set of development programs and national indicative programs EU use to provide financial, technical and expert support to LAC, discussing their influence on the LAC development and tracing the change of focus of such program over few las decades.
In the dissertation it was established that the institutionalization of the process of cooperation of the European Union with the organizations and states of Latin America and the Caribbean was gradually realized. For example, the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly has been established and is actively functioning. For a number of countries (Mexico, Brazil, Chile) joint councils, joint committees have been set up that virtually embody the agreements reached during the summits. In addition, there are regular meetings of sectoral ministers.
