INSTITUTO SOCIAL DO MERCOSUL E FUNDO DE CONVERGÊNCIA ESTRUTURAL DO MERCOSUL NO CONTEXTO DA AGENDA SOCIAL

Abstract

The Mercosur began in 1991, as a political strategy to raise the trade between the countries of the region and gain space in the international scenario. The process of regional integration has registered progress in addition to the economic aspects and has come to include debate and deliberations in the social area. From 2000 identifies the establishment of a social agenda for the Mercosur and the creation of institutional mechanisms directed to its operationalization. The Social Agenda of Mercosur can be understood as a set of actions, programs and institutions that constitute the framework of regional integration with the goal of reducing disparities and social inequalities in the countries of block. Among the measures adopted by the Council of the Common Market - CMC, we highlight the creation of two institutions: the Institute of Social Mercosur - ISM, and the Convergence Fund Structural Mercosur - Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM). The theme of the research is the institutionalization of the social agenda in Mercosur. As general purpose we describe the institutions: ISM and Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM), in the process of Operationalizing the social agenda in Mercosur. The study is descriptive and exploratory, with the collection of data by means of bibliographic research, documentary and semi-structured interviews with technicians from ISM and Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM), and observation. The paper presents an analysis of the theme institutionalism and neo-institucionalism, with the concept of institutions, showing its main theoretical settings. Part of the premise of the fundamental role of institutions in the process of regional integration and the construction of a social agenda. From the literature review and documentary, describes how the functioning of the institutions ISM and Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM), in the context of regional integration. The documentary research has as its source of data the decisions of the Council of the Common Market - CMC, and discussions with the RMADS - Meeting of Ministers of Authorities of Social Development. The observation is given in technical visit institutions Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM), ISM, on the occasion of the completion of the interviews with semistructured script. The study has revealed the effort by the institutions, Focem and ISM in creating strategic actions to ensure social cohesion and reduce disparities between states, still present with low factors of institutional and political support.