ABSTRACT
The examination of civil society in the context of the relations between the European Union (EU) and the Mercado Común del Sur (Mercosur), and more specifically its development cooperation dimension, presents many challenges. This chapter discusses an overview of the definitional aspects of the term civil society; particular relevance will be given to the institutional environments in which European and Latin American civil society organizations (CSOs) operate. It examines the extent to which a new dimension of development cooperation is being created through the EU-Mercosur Interregional Framework Agreement. The chapter traces the prospects for cooperation within the wider context of institutional evolution from both sides, and analyses the role of civil society within this process. The quest for a definition becomes equally complex in the Mercosur context. The European Union has supported Mercosur since its inceptions, as it believed that a strengthened Mercosur is a key to the development in the whole region.
