Prague, 14/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The 14th ministerial meeting between the EU and the Rio Group was held in Prague on 13 May 2009, under the joint chairmanship of Ms Patricia Espinosa, Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister and Head of the Rio Group Pro Tempore Secretariat, and, for the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, Foreign Minister Jan Kohout. The meeting of the 27 EU foreign ministers and the 23 foreign ministers of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean took place on Wednesday 13, and, on Thursday 14, there were several EU troika meetings with sub-regional groups (the Andean Community, Mercosur, Central America) and also the meetings of the Association Council between the European Union and Chile and of the Joint Council between the EU and Mexico (see related articles).
At the plenary session, it was planned to discuss two main issues: renewable energy sources and a sustainable approach towards energy and climate change, and restoring the stability and growth of the world economy. A third issue forced its way onto the agenda: swine flu.
With regard to climate, the EU wanted to be sure of the support of the 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries as negotiations, expected to be difficult, in Copenhagen in December approach. If one is to believe the joint declaration released after the meeting, guarantees have been given: “The EU and the Rio Group jointly underline the importance of continuing participation and close cooperation in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, with a view to enabling the full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through long-term cooperative action now, up to, and beyond 2012, and to ensure an ambitious, fair and effective global agreement, to follow the present commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol”.
On the economic and financial crisis, the two parties also agreed on the same taboo since, in the final communiqué, the EU and Rio Group “underscore the critical importance of rejecting protectionism in all its forms. They also reaffirm their opposition to unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to international law and the commonly accepted trade rules. They confirm their willingness to reach an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced agreement that fulfils the development objectives of the WTO Doha Round and significantly fosters world trade flows, as well as promotes effective trade rules. The EU and the Rio group will endeavour to find solutions that promote the successful and balanced conclusion of the Round”.
And, as the WHO was announcing almost 500 additional cases of swine flu throughout the world, EU representatives and South American foreign ministers said they were happy with the range of measures taken hitherto to counter the epidemic, measures which “seem to be delivering positive results”. At the Joint EU-Mexico Council on Thursday, Mexico thanked the EU delegation for “the valuable support that it had given during the contention phase of the A (H1N1) flu outbreak in Mexico”. In similar fashion, the EU saluted the determination and transparency with which the Mexican government had reacted, and both delegations reiterated their commitment to continue to work together to contain and prevent the spread of the flu virus, in full cooperation with the World Health Organisation.
The 50 ministers present accepted the Chilean proposal to host the 15th Rio Group-EU ministerial meeting in 2011. (P.B./transl.rt)