EU-LDC Themes - Regional Focus - Policy
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Regional agreements between the EU and developing
countries
The European Union has, and is negotiating for,
a number of trade agreements, both with individual countries and
with regional trading blocs. This section presents an overview of
the most important relations and trade agreements of the EU with
developing countries and regions. These are grouped as follows:
THE EU AND LATIN
AMERICA
The EU and Mercosur
Mercosur was created in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay. In 1996 association agreements were signed
with Chile and Bolivia. The current Mercosur-EU relationship is
based on the Interregional Framework Co-operation Agreement, which
aims to prepare negotiations on an association agreement between
Mercosur and the EU. A association agreement is currently under
negotiation.
More information……
The EU and the Andean Community
In 1969 Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and
Venezuela signed the Cartagena Agreement thereby establishing the
Andean Pact. In March 1996 the Andean community was created by the
adoption of the Modifying Protocol to the Cartagena Agreement.
Currently there are two legal agreements between the EU and the
Andean community: a Framework Co-operation Agreement and the
Multi-annual Scheme of Generalised Tariff Preferences (GSP).
More
information……
The EU and the ACP countries
The Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries was created in 1975 by the Georgetown Agreement and then
by the first Lomé Convention. While most countries in this Group
already had a special relationship with the European Community
before 1975, in this year they gave their Group legal status. The
Special partnership with the EU is characterised by non-reciprocal
trade benefits for ACP countries. The ACP Group now consists of 77
countries. In June 2000 a new Partnership Agreement, the Cotonou
Agreement, was signed between the EU and the ACP countries.
More
information…..
In 1999 the European Commission sent a communication
to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social
Commission on a new European Union-Latin-America partnership.
THE EU AND ASIA
The EU and ASEAN
In August 1967 Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand signed the Bangkok declaration, thereby
establishing the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). In
the 1980s and 1990s all other countries in South East Asia (Brunei,
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) also joined ASEAN. In 1972 the
European Economic community (EEC) became a dialogue partner thus
establishing informal relations with ASEAN. In March 1980 the
relation was institutionalised with the signing of the EC-ASEAN
Co-operation Agreement.
More information…
The EU and SAARC
In December 1985, the heads of state of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka adopted
the charter that established the South Asian Association for
Regional Co-operation (SAARC). The EU has indicated its willingness
to co-operate with SAARC and has recently included SAARC in the
Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). Internal divisions within
SAARC have prevented effective co-operation with the EU.
More
information….
The EU and the ACP countries
The Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries was created in 1975 by the Georgetown Agreement and then
by the first Lomé Convention. While most countries in this Group
already had a special relationship with the European Community
before 1975, in this year they gave their Group legal status. The
Special partnership with the EU is characterised by non-reciprocal
trade benefits for ACP countries. The ACP Group now consists of 77
countries. In June 2000 a new Partnership Agreement, the Cotonou
Agreement, was signed between the EU and the ACP countries.
More
information…..
ASEM
ASEM, which stands for Asia-Europe Meeting, is not a
regional trade agreement, but an informal process of dialogue and
co-operation between the EU Member States and the European
commission and ten Asian countries (Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan,
South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam). ASEM addresses political, economic and cultural issues
with the objective to strengthen the relation between the two
regions. The inaugural ASEM Summit was held in March 1996.
More
information….
THE
EU AND THE MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN
The EU and the GCC
In May 1981 Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar signed the agreement to establish
the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). The
GCC aims to co-ordinate the economic, political, cultural and
security policy of its member states. In 1989 the EU and GCC signed
a Co-operation Agreement to facilitate trade relations and market
access and to contribute to strengthening stability in the Gulf
region. In the coming years the two regions will negotiate on a free
trade agreement. More information……
The Euro–Mediterranean partnership
The Euro-Mediterranean partnership, also known as
the Barcelona Process, is a framework of bilateral and multilateral
relations of the EU with 12 Mediterranean partners, which started in
1995. The Mediterranean countries include Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt,
Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, The Palestinian Authority,
Tunisia (Maghreb), Turkey and Syria (Mashrek). Libya currently has
an observer status at certain meetings. The partnership covers the
political and security field, the economic and financial field and
social, cultural and human field.
More information……
The EU and South Africa
After the end of Apartheid and the first democratic
elections in 1994 the EU was able establish to closer links with
South Africa at the governmental level, and in particular in the
areas of trade and development. In October 1994 South Africa
formally accepted the invitation of the EU to try to establish a
comprehensive and long-term relationship. In 1995 the negotiations
for this framework of co-operation started. In 1997 South Africa
obtained qualified membership of the Lomé Convention. In October
1999 a Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement was signed
between the two parties.
More information……
The EU and the ACP countries
The Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries was created in 1975 by the Georgetown Agreement and then
by the first Lomé Convention. While most countries in this Group
already had a special relationship with the European Community
before 1975, in this year they gave their Group legal status. The
Special partnership with the EU is characterised by non-reciprocal
trade benefits for ACP countries. The ACP Group now consists of 77
countries. In June 2000 a new Partnership Agreement, the Cotonou
Agreement, was signed between the EU and the ACP countries.
More
information…..
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