EEC-Andean Community Cooperation Agreement

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 98/278/EC — conclusion of a framework agreement on cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Cartagena Agreement and its member countries, namely the Republic of Bolivia, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Venezuela

Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Cartagena Agreement and its member countries, namely the Republic of Bolivia, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Venezuela

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION AND THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT?

• The decision concludes the framework agreement on behalf of the European Economic Community (EEC; now the European Union (EU)).
• The framework agreement aims to consolidate, deepen and intensify relations between the 2 parties.

KEY POINTS

• The ‘Andean Community’ is a free trade area set up under the Cartagena Agreement in 1969. It originally comprised 5 countries (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) which were later joined by a sixth country, Venezuela. Two of the countries subsequently withdrew from the community — Chile (1976) and Venezuela (2006).

Cooperation

The parties agreed to set up economic cooperation with the widest possible scope. Areas of cooperation include:

• industry;
• science and technology;
• agriculture and fisheries;
• services;
• technical, health, and plant health regulations;
• regional development and frontier integration.

The aims of the cooperation include:

• strengthening and diversifying their economic links;
• contributing to the sustainable development of their economies and standards of living;
• encouraging the expansion of trade to diversify and open up new markets;
• encouraging the flow of investment, technology transfer and reinforce investment protection;
• raising the level of employment and improve human productivity in the work sector;
• promoting rural development and improve technological capacity;
• supporting the movement towards regional integration;
• exchanging information on statistics and methodology.

Means of cooperation include:

• greater contacts;
• joint participation of EU and Andean Community companies;
• technical assistance, research projects;
• promotion of joint ventures;
• exchange of information;
• and the formation of business networks.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The framework agreement entered into force on 1 May 1998.

BACKGROUND

The EU also has a Comprehensive Trade Agreement with Colombia, Peru and Ecuador (see summary). It has been provisionally applied to Colombia and Peru since 2013 and to Ecuador since 2017.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Council Decision 98/278/EC of 7 April 1998 concerning the conclusion of a framework agreement on cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Cartagena Agreement and its member countries, namely the Republic of Bolivia, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Venezuela (OJ L 127, 29.4.1998, p. 10)

Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Cartagena Agreement and its member countries, namely the Republic of Bolivia, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Venezuela (OJ L 127, 29.4.1998, pp. 11-25)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council Decision 2012/735/EU of 31 May 2012 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part (OJ L 354, 21.12.2012, pp. 1-2)

Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part (OJ L 354, 21.12.2012, pp. 3-2607)

Successive amendments to the Trade Agreement have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Decision (EU) 2016/2369 of 11 November 2016 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador (OJ L 356, 24.12.2016, pp. 1-2)

Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador (OJ L 356, 24.12.2016, pp. 3-1456)

last update 06.04.2020