ISDS Case Map
CAN
Andean Community
European Union endorses highly dangerous negotiation mandates for free trade areas with Central America and the Andean Community
The EU and the Andean Community announced yesterday in Santo Domingo their intention to start negotiations for an Association Agreement in the margins of the next EU-Andean Community Joint Committee that will be held in La Paz at the end of May 2007.
The association of European banana producers APEB has announced that it will request the EU to leave any discussion of the banana import tariff out of the negotiations on economic collaboration or free trade agreements with the Andean countries in South America and with the countries in Central America.
The Community of Andean Nations and the European Union reaffirmed the promise Tuesday to begin negotiations as soon as possible to sign an economic association agreement, the CAN press office reported after meeting on Monday evening.
The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales and the elected President from Ecuador, Rafael Correa, confirmed that their countries would continue as full members of the Andean Community (CAN). However, they state that strong changes are necessary to consolidate a social as well as an economic integration.
The United States Congress has passed landmark legislation normalising trade ties with Vietnam. The trade vote package also expanded trade relations with Haiti, and tweaked Washington's trade preferences with several states in Latin America and beyond.
Hopes for a continentwide trading community and a celebration of the region's populist movements will highlight a two-day summit of South American leaders hosted by Bolivian President Evo Morales.
The EU Commission notified its intention to begin negotiations for Association Agreements in the first quarter of 2007, which would gradually become free trade agreements with the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) and Central American countries (Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala). However, this process could be broken because of the new demands on part of Ecuador before the WTO.
The Agreements will set out the conditions for the gradual establishment of Free Trade Area between the EU and the two regions, and develop both intra- and bi-regional trade exchanges.
