Differentiated integration in MERCOSUR: Risks and opportunities for the association with the European Union

Abstract

Asymmetries within MERCOSUR member states and vulnerability to financial crises forced the adoption of measures to facilitate flexibility. Differentiated integration was designed to handle centrifugal forces while preserving sovereignty and avoiding the paralysis that can result from a decisionmaking process that requires the consensus of all member states. The asymmetries not only affect the internal dynamics, but should also be taken into account in external relations and were a key issue in the negotiation of the association agreement signed with the EU in 2019.