The Role of the EU in Promoting a Broader Transatlantic Partnership

Estudo 25-02-2013

The European Union should promote a new transatlantic partnership encompassing both North and South America. Such cooperation is necessary not only to respond to competitive challenges from countries like China and India, but also to help develop new markets in Africa and to promote strong partnerships across the South Atlantic. More important, a new transatlantic partnership is essential to protect the security of the Atlantic basin, to develop more sustainable use of energy resources, to protect the environment, to combat the drugs trade and human trafficking, and to tackle the problem of illegal immigration. The European Parliament has a unique role to play in fostering a more inclusive Atlantic community. It can help to break down traditional patterns of North-South engagement, it can build capacity in Latin American regional organizations, it can encourage leadership within the Latin American community, and it can foster democracy and civil society across the South Atlantic. Moreover, the European Parliament can help exploit the long experience of the European Union in collective decision-making, multinational democratic representation, information exchange, and shared best practice to lay the foundations for more effective cooperation at all levels of government across the Atlantic region.