ustainable development in Latin American requires a deeper and broader regional integration process, in which intellectual property and transfer of technology must be included.

To achieve this goal, leaders in the Region must show the necessary political will and make integration attractive in its economic, so- cial, cultural and political aspects. In the establishment of new strategic alliances, the America Continent must not ignore the political benefits of integration or limit itself to the adoption of new free trade agreements. Strategic alliances among States and the creation of extended economic and political blocks emerge today as an absolute necessity to confront national problems and to generate development.

An important phase has already been accomplished in the regio- nal integration process, but it is clear that new initiatives are required to redefine the main actors and to establish an advantageous economic and political framework that at the same can work on the basis of solidarity among States. The current schemes of sub-regional cooperation of MERCOSUR and the Andean Community are an ideal scenario to achieve this goal if all aspects are tackled. The creation of a new South American block of nations will be a step forward in the regional integration process and will constitute and enabling framework to consolidate economic, political and international potentialities in the Region.

In the field of Intellectual Property and Transfer of Technology many are the aspects that can be developed. The recent adoption of a free trade agreement between MERCOSUR and the Andean Community of Nations is crucial but countries need to be cautious in order to avoid the mere creation of an extended custom zone or a compilation of bilateral free trade agreements. Patents, utility models, well-known trademarks, traditional knowledge, folklore, genetic resources, geographical indications, copyrights and related rights are only few of the large number of subjects in which a block position is required to attained economic, social and cultural development and to counter the adverse impact of a non-participative and chaotic globalization process.