Brussels, 23/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has made EUR 8 million available to facilitate and support implementation of the EU-Mexico Free Trade Agreement in force since 2000. This comes in addition to funds provided by Mexico for a project with a total budget of EUR 16 million. The aim is to facilitate customs procedures for goods and keep companies better informed of the possibilities provided by the agreement. It is also a matter of ensuring "improved knowledge and understanding of the respective systems and procedures" and of financing sector-specific indepth studies and analyses "to support the authorities' decision-making", the Commission states in a press release. Technical assistance is expected to facilitate the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary norms and requirements. Trade between the EU and Mexico totalled EUR 20.2 billion in 2003, compared to 18.9 billion in 2000.