Brussels, 15/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the 17th meeting of the presidents of the Andean Community in Tarija, Bolivia, on Thursday 14 June, the European Union entered talks with the Andean Community over a future Association Agreement between the two parties. The European Commission was represented by Tomas Dupla del Moral, its Latin American Director. In a press release, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that boosting connections between the two regions through am ambitious Association Agreement was a political objective that both regions had long been working towards and she was delighted that they were now ready to enter negotiations.
The European Commission's 2007-2013 strategy document on relations with the Andean Community mentions three main areas of cooperation, namely supporting the Andean Community's economic integration to enable it to achieve a better positioning in the global economy; aiding initiatives to boost economic and social cohesion within the Andean Community; and helping countries in the Andes to combat drug trafficking in line with the shared responsibility in EU-Andean Community relations in this field.
At the end of April, the European Commission unveiled EU aid for €713 million for the Andean Community in 2007-2013 (see EUROPE 9412), divided as follows among countries: €234 million for Bolivia, €160 m for Colombia, €137 m for Ecuador, €132 m for Peru and more than €50 m for backing regional integration. Bolivia is handing over chairmanship of the Andean Community to Colombia. In a message to participants at the Tarija meeting, Ferrero-Waldner welcomed Chile's return to the Andean Community as an associate member, which will enable the other countries in the Andes to benefit from the experience of EU-Chile relations. (mb)