Brussels, 20/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - A mixed committee took place on Wednesday in Brussels, the European Commission, Central American countries (Costa Rica, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama - Belize and the Dominican Republic attended as observers). As agreed at the EU/Latin American and Caribbean summit in Guadalajara in May 2004, they officially launched a common evaluation of regional economic integration in Central America, which should open negotiations between the EU and these countries on a future association agreement. This evaluation is expected to be led by an ad hoc work group at its first meeting in Tegucigalpa in Honduras in March or April. During this thirteenth mixed EU/Central American committee, recent development in the central American integration process were discussed, particularly the 2002 action plan, which is proposing the setting up of a customs union between Costa Rica, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The two parties discussed regional security in Central America, support from the EU to the regional integration process (i.e. customs union, civil society participation in the integration process and the development of common policies and the new system of trade preferences “GPS+”, expected to enter into force in 2005. the mixed EU/Central America committee is expected to meet again in Nicaragua in the second half of 2005 to analyse the result of the new work group set up.