Tony Blair has flown to Spain to attend the second EU-Latin America summit.

The meeting brought together heads of state and government of the countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and the EU.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Chris Patten, the EU's external affairs commissioner, said the event provided a "high-profile platform to make a substantial joint contribution to stabilising the international environment".

"Latin America and the Caribbean have changed out of all recognition in recent years. But the European Union, too, has undergone a transformation especially over the decade. The launch of the Euro, the Common Foreign and security policy," he said.

"The beginnings of an autonomous military capacity. Above all the imminent prospects of a massive further enlargement. Europe is a distinctively different partner from what it was ten years ago."

The event examined the progress made since since Rio.

Blair did not hold bilateral discussions over stalled Gibraltar with his Spanish counterpart, Jose Maria Aznar.