The Andean Community

In May 1969 Bolivia, Chile, Columbia and Peru signed the Cartagena Agreement, which established the Andean Pact. Venezuela formally joined in 1974, while Chile withdrew from the group in 1976. In March 1996 the heads of states of the member countries adopted the Modification Protocol to the Cartagena Agreement, which created the Andean Community (CAN). The main objectives of the Andean Community are:

• to promote the balanced and harmonious development of the member countries under equitable conditions;

• to boost their growth through integration and economic and social co-operation;

• to enhance participation in the regional integration process with a view to the progressive formation of a Latin American common market;

• to strive for a steady improvement in the standard of living of their inhabitants.

For more information on the Andean Community, see the Comunidad Andina website.

The EU-Andean Community relationship

Currently, there are two legal agreements between the EU and the Andean Community:

1. Framework Co-operation Agreement between the EEC and the Cartagena Agreement and its member states Bolivia, Columbia, Peru and Venezuela. This Agreement was signed in April 1993 and became effective in May 1995. It corresponds to the so-called Third Generation Agreements. It replaces an earlier co-operation agreement that was signed in 1987.

European co-operation has evolved over time. In the 1970s it was limited to the sphere of trade, while in the 1980s emphasis was put on development co-operation. In the 1990s more attention was paid to the structuring of a series of mechanisms for industrial, scientific, technological and inter-enterprise co-operation. In 1999, the EU and the CAN agreed to concentrate efforts on co-operating in three areas of priority: strengthening the Common Market, developing Andean Institutions and the social agenda.

2. Multi-annual scheme of Generalised Tariff Preferences (GSP), which commenced in 1971. The current 10-year scheme was adopted in 1994.

The European Union has granted preferential treatment to Latin America for all industrial products and a list of agricultural and fishery products, so as to encourage Latin American exports. In the Andean countries additional schemes have been introduced since 1990 to encourage he fight against drugs. This drug trafficking deterrent GDP is temporary however and must be renewed periodically.

Next to these formal agreements, the countries of the EU and the CAN signed a Joint Declaration in June 1996 concerning the political dialogue between the two groups. This Declaration created an institutional framework for this dialogue that had been informal up to that moment. The dialogue will address bi-regional and international issues of common interest through meetings between various community/government officials.

Further details

For more information go to the EU and the Andean Community pages of the Europa, External Relations website and the  Comunidad Andina website.

Top  |  Back |  Home