Brussels, 09/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the 7th bilateral summit in Brussels on Friday 12 June, the European Union and Mexico will lay the foundations for a re-negotiation of the framework governing their strategic partnership. The summit will take place the day after the EU-Latin America and Caribbean summit (see EUROPE 11329).
This update in relations between the EU and Mexico aims at reflecting the place that Mexico, a G20 member, now holds on the international scene (see EUROPE 11300). The summit will focus on the fight against climate change, the eradication of poverty, and a better understanding of migration issues. Mexico's desire to take part in UN peace-keeping missions will be welcomed. The technical negotiations will also be started that aim to conclude an EU-Mexico agreement on the transfer of air passenger data (see EUROPE 11296).
Human rights, rule of law and citizens' safety issues are expected to be covered - at a time when the Mexican government is facing popular discontent in the face of the impunity enjoyed by organised crime and certain corrupt political figures. This discontent could be seen in the recent national and local elections in Mexico in which independent candidates achieved good scores - such as Jaime Rodriguez Calderon, elected governor of Nuevo Leon (the country's second richest state).
On trade issues, the European party wants to update the free trade agreement that has been in force since 2000, with the objective of making from it a comparable agreement to the one concluded with Canada at the end of 2014 (CETA). “The agreement in place has enabled trade to double and investment flows to more than double. We want to bring it to a higher level, by also covering other areas linked to economic and social development and to sustainable development”, said a diplomatic source.
European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström set out her ambitions when Mexico's Secretary for the Economy and Trade Guajardo Villarreal visited Brussels on 11 May (see EUROPE 11312). The EU expects more tariff concessions and a greater opening of services, government procurement (in order not to be limited just to contracts concluded with the central government) and investment (to include sectors such as telecommunications and energy). It also wants to include chapters on non-tariff barriers and regulation, as well as update the chapter on intellectual property rights.
The EU and Mexico are linked by an agreement on economic partnership, political coordination and cooperation, called a comprehensive agreement, which was concluded in 1997. This agreement includes trade arrangements that have been developed in a free trade agreement that entered into force in 2000 for the trade in goods section, and in 2001 for the trade in services section. The agreement also includes specific chapters on access to government procurement, competition, intellectual property rights and investment. (Mathieu Bion and Emmanuel Hagry)