On Monday 4 December, the European Commission announced that the sixth round of talks on the trade section of the negotiations for updating the 2000 EU-Mexico comprehensive agreement enabled "progress (...) on key issues" like market access (for goods, services and public procurement), arbitration in disputes over investment and sustainable development.
The negotiating teams addressed all issues in the trade section of a comprehensive EU-Mexico agreement version 2.0, including the delicate issues of access to energy, raw materials and the fight against corruption. A seventh series of negotiations is planned in Brussels on 18-22 December.
The Commission gives assurances that is remains "very determined" to conclude a political agreement before the end of 2017, and it promises to do the maximum to resolve the outstanding issues.
Revised offers on market access were exchanged in July (see EUROPE 11880).
While the negotiations have made good progress, they are still stumbling over the rules of origin, geographical indications, regulatory issues, the openness of public procurement, and the issue of investment protection and an arbitration mechanism for disputes on this. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)