South American Community of Nations

Encyclopedia : S : SO : SOU : South American Community of Nations

Official language>Official languages Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch President>President None Area
 - Total Ranked 1st¹
17,715,335 km² Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Population density>Density Ranked 3rd¹
366,669,975
20.7 people/km² Gross Domestic Product>GDP (PPS; 2004)
 - Total
 - Per capita Ranked 5th¹
US,635,349
US,187 Formation
 - Signed
 - Enforced Cuzco Declaration
December 8>8 December, 2004

Currency Time zone UTC -3 to -5² Top-level domain>Internet TLD None List of country calling codes>Calling code ^{Note 1:} if counted as a single unit
^{Note 2:} -2 to -4 during DST
^{Note 3:} Each member state has its own currency.
^{Note 4:} Each member state has its own calling code.
[http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] --> The South American Community of Nations (CSN) (Spanish: Comunidad Sudamericana de Naciones, Portuguese: Comunidade Sul-Americana de Nações, Dutch: Zuid-Amerikaanse Statengemeenschap) will be a continent-wide free trade zone that will unite two existing free-trade organizations—Mercosur and the Andean Community—eliminating tariffs for non-sensitive products by 2014 and sensitive products by 2019. The headquarters of this new organization will be in Lima while the South American Bank will be in Brasilia according to the agreements during the meetings. Complete integration between the Andean Community and Mercosur into the South American Community of Nations is expected by 2007.

Overview

Dignitaries attend the signing of the Cuzco Declaration

South American leaders sign the Cuzco Declaration

At the Third South American Summit, on 8 December 2004, presidents or representatives from twelve South American nations signed the Cuzco Declaration, a two-page statement of intent, announcing the foundation of the South American Community. Panama attended the signing ceremony as observer.

Leaders announced their intention to model the new community after the European Union, including a common currency, parliament, and passport. According to Allan Wagner, Secretary General of the Andean Community, a complete union like that of the EU should be possible by 2019.

The mechanics of the new entity should come out at the First South American Community of Nations Heads of State Summit, to be held in Brasilia, in September 29-30 2005. A constitution is also expected to be drafted in 2005. The Second Summit will be held in Bolivia. No new institutions will be created in the first phase, so as not to increase bureaucracy, and the community will use the existing institutions belonging to the previous trade blocs.

Origins

Participating nations

The 12 community members:

• Members of the Andean Community (CAN)¹:
• * (will start the process of joining Mercosur in 2006)
• *
• *
• *

• Members of Mercosur²:
• *
• *
• *
• *
• * (in the process of leaving CAN and joining Mercosur)

• Other countries:
• *¹
• *³
• *³

The only South American area not participating is French Guiana which is a département d'outre-mer of France and is therefore part of the European Union.

In addition to these twelve states, there are two observer states:

• (Mexico is already part of the NAFTA bloc)

Current works in progress

Comparison with other Regional blocs

Quotes

We are here to make Simón Bolívar's dream real. [...] Sooner, rather than later, we shall have a single currency, a single passport... Sooner, rather than later, we shall have a parliament with directly elected representatives for this new nation that we are creating today. — Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, 8 December 2004.

Step by step CAN and Mercosur will converge becoming the South American Community, but gradually disappearing at the same time. But in spite of the haste there’s no rush, because we could end with an empty declaration. [...] My idea is that in a few months time CAN should be known as South American Community-CAN and Mercosur, South American Community MS, so we have time to get in touch with the new initials. —Former Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde, president of the Mercosur Representatives Committee.

Name change proposal

See also

• South America
• History of South America
• Economy of South America
• United States of South America
• Rio Group
• Free Trade Area of the Americas
• List of Trade blocs
• North American Union

External links

• [SACN information page on Andean Community website]
• [WikiNews - SACN announced at 3rd SA Summit]
• [BBC - S America Creates Single Market]
• [MercoPress - S. American Community Comes to Light December 9]
• [Regional rivalries are obstacle to S. American 12-nation bloc: analysts] (EU business)
• [News of CSN]

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