EU seals trade deals with Central America, Peru, Colombia - summary
Deutsch Press Agentur | 19 May 2010
EU seals trade deals with Central America, Peru, Colombia - summary
Madrid — The European Union on Wednesday signed agreements liberalizing trade with Central America, Peru and Colombia, while some Latin American leaders criticized such deals as only favouring rich countries.
The agreements were signed at EU bilateral summits with Central America and the Andean Community in Madrid.
The meetings followed a summit between the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean on Tuesday, which brought the representatives of 60 countries — including more than 30 heads of state or government — to the Spanish capital.
The EU’s association agreement with Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala was its first such deal with Central America.
Negotiations had been interrupted after Honduran president Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a June 2009 coup, but resumed after Porfirio Lobo was elected Zelaya’s successor in November.
Many Latin American countries do not recognize Lobo’s legitimacy as president, leading him to stay away from Tuesday’s summit. Lobo only attended the regional meeting at which the association agreement was sealed Wednesday.
The economic part of the accord gives EU car makers free access to the Central American market, allows Central America to import rice and beef to the EU for the first time, and cuts import tariffs on Central American bananas.
Peru and Colombia, meanwhile, signed trade agreements with the EU that increase market access for both sides, while also calling for cooperation and other measures to raise the development level in the two Andean countries, European Commission sources said.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe described his country’s agreement as a "very important step," but his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales said his country would "never" accept a similar deal on "looting our natural resources."
The Andean Community comprises Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia. It initially launched joint talks with the EU, but divisions emerged between its members.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa announced that Quito will relaunch negotiations with the EU in June. The aim, however, would be an association rather than a trade agreement, he said.
"We believe in trade, but not in free trade," Correa said, describing the latter as favouring "the most competitive country."
Morales also spoke out on immigration Wednesday, saying wealthy countries "have the obligation" to receive immigrants because their "capitalism" was responsible for the problems in developing countries. Especially poorer immigrants need protection, he said.
Separately, the EU and the Andean Community pledged to join forces against drug trafficking and global warming. Peruvian President Alan Garcia, whose country holds the Andean Community presidency, also urged wealthy countries to stop weapons sales to poorer ones. Garcia had earlier criticized what he described as an "arms race" between Latin American nations.
