The European Union: Model or Exception for Asia-Pacific Cooperation

[[abstract]]The EU and APEC are often described as two very different approaches to regional integration. The idea of Europe, as a most successful region in the global system, would have a similar model. Western Europe before 1990, offered an attractive model of formal economic integration among countries within a geographically well-defined security and stability. And Europe, after 1990, offered a more multiple example for that other regions could learn. However, is the model of European integration an applicable experience to Asia Pacific? Some arguments denied the possibility of regionalism in Asia-Pacific, as contrasted with the EU, in its diversity. Some scholars positively evaluate its diversity in Asia-Pacific specific value. This paper focuses mainly on the similarities and differences between the EU and APEC from the perspectives of comparative analysis. The content is divided into five sections: the introduction; a second section defining the varieties of regionalism; an explanation of the main determinants on the formation of regional block in Europe and Asia-Pacific; the fourth section tries to explain some lessons that economic integration in the Asia-Pacific could learn from the EU experiences; and the final section concludes the debates