Brussels, 27/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 21 June, the EU and Ecuador held the first meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism, in order to strengthen and deepen their relations and to work on a political agenda which takes account of the right to development and respect for human rights, the European Commission announced on 25 June. The EU and Ecuador spoke about multilateral cooperation on the environment and climate change.
The two parties discussed human rights and governance, including freedom of expression and the media. The EU, moreover, expressed its concern about Ecuador's recently adopted law on communication. Ecuador underlined the issues of migration and reiterated its request to remove the requirement of a visa for Andean citizens who want to enter the EU.
The EU and Ecuador held talks on issues of common interest, such as regional integration, and their respective recent political and economic developments. They stressed strengthening their cooperation in the field of governance and regional development, for example, and also in science, technology and innovation, and developing skills and human capital. (CG/transl.fl)