Negotiators from the European Commission and Mexican administration are meeting in Brussels this week (Monday 26 to Friday 30 June) for the fourth round of talks on updating the EU-Mexico comprehensive agreement. Their goal is to move forward to an agreement in principle before the end of 2017.
"I expect to see to see good progress in all areas of this deal", European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström stated on Monday. "During my visit to Mexico in May, we agreed to do our utmost to have this agreement done by the end of the year", she added.
During Malmström's visit to Mexico, the EU and Mexico decided on 8 May to accelerate these negotiations, agreeing that technical-level meetings would be held every month in the second half of this year – with the aim of reaching an agreement in principle by the end of 2017 (see EUROPE 11784).
In 2015, the EU and Mexico decided to review the outlines of their comprehensive agreement in order to integrate new subjects (environmental protection, labour rights, intellectual property and investment). Launched in May 2016, the talks have made progress after three rounds of negotiations.
The protectionist threats of US President Donald Trump against Mexico (establishing an import tax, and the US withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement – NAFTA) have contributed to these EU-Mexico talks being accelerated.
However, the path towards an EU-Mexico comprehensive agreement 2.0 is still long, given the numerous EU offensive interests on agriculture and public procurement.
The EU also want to include arrangements in the agreement on sustainable development, and an investment dispute settlement system based on the new Investment Court System (ICS) provided for in the EU's free trade agreement with Canada.
In addition, the EU wants to include anti-corruption arrangements as part of a broader comprehensive agreement, as well as its arrangements on political coordination and cooperation. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)