Brussels, 13/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Five years after withdrawing from negotiations, Ecuador is resuming its talks with the EU to join the agreement concluded with two Andean countries - Colombia and Peru.
The first session of negotiations is taking place in Brussels this week (13-17 January) with a view to Ecuador joining the tripartite trade agreement concluded in March 2010 between the EU and two Andean countries - Colombia and Peru - which entered into force in August 2013 for Colombia (see EUROPE 10897) and in March 2013 for Peru (see EUROPE 10797).
After the failure of the negotiations aiming to conclude a full association agreement between the EU and the Andean Community in the second half of 2008, a new format was established enabling a thematic and geographical division of the negotiations. On the one hand, there were continuing regional negotiations with the four countries of the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) to bring to light the 2003 political dialogue and cooperation agreement, which never entered into force. On the other hand, there were the multipartite trade negotiations, started in February 2009 with three of the four Andean countries (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) - the door of which remains open to Bolivia. While the negotiations were completed successfully with Colombia and Peru in March 2010, Ecuador suspended its participation in July 2009.
In contact since 2010, the EU and Ecuador have now managed to find common ground in order to commit to a process aiming at Ecuador joining the multipartite trade agreement. The negotiations will address market access for goods, services and public procurement, as well as some normative arrangements needed to enable Ecuador to join the agreement.
EU exports to Ecuador stood at €2.3 billion in 2012, while its imports from Ecuador - mainly agricultural products and raw materials - stood at €2.4 billion. (EH/transl.fl)