Brussels, 17/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - The first negotiation session with a view to Ecuador's membership to the multipartite trade agreement with Colombia and Peru has ended successfully.
“Good preparation and active engagement from both sides allowed important progress during the week-long talks between the EU and Ecuador towards a result which would benefit trade and investment between the EU and Ecuador, while taking into account key sensitivities on both sides”, the Commission assured in a press release published after a first round of talks this week (13-17 January), in Brussels.
Negotiators have examined several aspects - market access for goods, services and establishment, and government procurement - and provisions in certain parts of the text aimed at making it possible for Ecuador to join. Both parties “hope to advance quickly” to that end.
Ecuador had, in 2009, suspended its participation in the trade talks initiated between the EU and three of the four countries of the Andean Community - Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The door to the multipartite agreement is still open for their neighbour, Bolivia.
EU exports to Ecuador were worth €2.3 billion in 2012 and its imports from the Andean country (mainly farm produce and raw materials) amounted to €2.4 billion. (EH/transl.jl)