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Open regionalism is a dominant feature within the regional integration mechanism known as the Pacific Alliance. Its members seek to strengthen the economic ties between them and obtain favorable outcomes vis-à-vis the Asia Pacific region. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the private sector's significance within the Pacific Alliance, while highlighting the role each one has played in the other's success. To this end, the authors undertook an extensive literature review and conducted numerous interviews with representatives of the Colombian private sector to gather their estimations regarding the Pacific Alliance, its various stages of conception and implementation, and its real significance for the private sectors within and among members. Additionally, the focus was directed to the specific case of the SURA Group, an international firm based in Colombia, to illustrate the objectives and benefits accruing to the private sector (and the SURA Group itself) via this integration initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Context: This paper analyses critically the integration model proposed by the Pacific Alliance (PA) from the perspective of the legal foundations of Colombia's foreign policy, in order to determine the degree of normative convergence between the Colombian constitutional order and this particular trade agreement. Methodology: This research uses legal technique and case-law analysis as research methodologies, offering a detailed panorama of the normative development of the PA and its relationship with the constitutional requirements regulating the international relations of Colombia. Conclusion: Despite being at an initial stage in relation to its normative and institutional structure, the PA has emerged as a second generation regional trade agreement (RTA), which complements its commercial trajectory with political, social and productive integration agendas, promoting the diversification of international economic relations of its members without altering or modifying their sovereign powers. The above allows to show its compatibility with the constitutional mandate pro integratione, particularly in regard to the ideal of promoting the internationalization of Colombian economic relations with countries of Latin America and other world regions. Originality: The proposed approach has theoretical and methodological originality inasmuch as there are no previous studies analyzing the legal and normative nexus between the interests of Colombia's foreign policy and the PA. Its relevance lies not only in the validity of the issue in question, but also for scenarios of reflection on the participation of the State in trade agreements or regional integration schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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