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Central America - Commissioner Patten meets Salvadorian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy

Summary: March 25, 2004: Central America: Commissioner Patten meets Salvadorian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy (Brussels)

Today, External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten met Salvadorian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, María Eugenia Brizuela, and of the Economy, Miguel Lacayo, who were representating the Central American region. During the meeting, the Commissioner and the Ministers exchanged views on progress achieved in the regional integration process in Central America in the light of the recently-signed EU-Central America Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement and the Madrid 2002 Declaration that opened the way for a future Association Agreement between the two regions. The latter is conditional on the achievement of progress in regional integration and should build on the outcome of the Doha Development Agenda.

The two Ministers, on behalf of the Central American Integration System (SICA), briefed Commissioner Patten on recent achievements in the 2002 Central American Plan of Action for Economic Integration, including the recent inauguration of a customs union between El Salvador and Guatemala. It is intended that Honduras and Nicaragua join this union during the course of 2004. In this context, the Ministers underlined Central America's desire to make a further step forward in its relations with the EU at the forthcoming Third EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit that will take place on 28/29 May in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The new EU-Central America Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, signed in December 2003, institutionalizes the San Jose Dialogue process (initiated in 1984), which was instrumental in bringing about peace and restoring democracy in the region in the early 1990s. This dialogue forms the cornerstone of relations between the EU and Central America and focuses on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, sustainable development and regional integration. The EU grants significant levels of development cooperation to Central America, averaging some €145 million per annum over the past seven years.

More information on EU-Central America relations at

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/ca/index.htm

  • Ref: EC04-063EN
  • EU source: European Commission
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 25/3/2004


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