Tijdpad voor vrije handel tussen EU en Zuid-Amerika vastgesteld (en)

EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten together with their Mercosur counterparts have today injected renewed impetus to the bilateral free trade talks. Both parties have agreed on an ambitious and detailed program of work the "Brussels Program"- for the final phase of the bi-regional negotiations. At the conclusion of the meeting both Commissioners said: "The work programme adopted today clearly reflects the importance that both parties attach to the process of regional integration between the EU and Mercosur. Mapping out the final phase of the negotiation is a clear sign of our desire to conclude an ambitious association agreement with the Mercosur block."

The meeting took place in Brussels and was hosted by EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten. Participants from the Mercosur side included the Presidency pro-tempore, the Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mr. Operti, Mr. Redrado, Argentinean Secretary of Trade, Messrs. Amorim and Furlan, Brazilian Foreign and Trade Ministers respectively as well as Ms. Rachid de Cowles, Paraguayan Foreign Minister.

Both parties have renewed their support for a comprehensive agreement covering market access on goods, services, government procurement and investments as well as rules and disciplines in these areas and other such as sanitary and phitosanitary measures, agreement on wines and spirits, compeition and intellectual property rights. They have also exchanged views on the WTO talks under the Doha Development Agenda.

The programme adopted today provides negotiators on both sides with a clear and predictable timetable of the work ahead.

Ministers will take stock of results so far at the EU-Latin America summit taking place in Mexico in May next year.

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Mercosur-EU Trade Negotiators Meeting at Ministerial Level

Brussels - 12 November 2003

Ministers reaffirm the importance they attach to an ambitious bi-regional EU-Mercosur negotiating process. Noting the completion of the 'Rio work-programme', and in line with the conclusions of the previous Madrid Summit, Ministers agree on the following new Work Programme, with a view to beginning the concluding period of negotiations of the Interregional Association Agreement between Mercosur and the EU.

To this end, it is agreed to schedule five meetings of the Biregional Negotiating Committee (BNC) and two meetings at ministerial level.

Both sides recognise the importance of progress in the Doha Development Agenda in parallel with EU-Mercosur negotiations.

- Brussels Work Programme -

- (1-5 December 2003) XI BNC (Brussels):

 - negotiations on market access in goods (including first exchange of views on agri modalities)

 - negotiations of common text on all other areas;

 - Business Facilitation, EU Enlargement and Sustainable development: preliminary assessment;

 - Negotiations on Wines and Spirits and SPS

- (February 2004) XII BNC (Buenos Aires):

 -  negotiations on market access in goods (including second exchange of views on agri modalities)

  -  negotiations on Services, Government Procurement and Investment with a view to improving texts;

 - negotiations of common text on all other areas;

 - Negotiations on Wines and Spirits and SPS

  - Business Facilitation: definition of concrete ideas

  - General assessment and discussion on the draft for the consolidated text of the Agreement (differences remaining at the level of the texts, institutional aspects, etc).

April 2004: Exchange of improved offers on Services, Government Procurement, Investment and Goods, including agriculture.

- April 2004 XIII BNC (Brussels):

  -  negotiations on improved offers on Services, Government Procurement, Investment and Goods;

 - negotiations of common text on all other areas;

  - Sustainable development: definition of concrete ideas;

  - Review of progress on SPS and Wines and Spirits;

  -  Assessment of Mercosur and EU integration processes;

  - Exchange of views on asymmetrical treatment;

Joint meeting of the Mercosur Economic and Social consultative forum and the European Economic and Social Committee.

28-29 May 2004: Trade Negotiators Meeting at Ministerial Level in the margins of the EU-Latin American Summit (Mexico): stocktaking of results achieved so far and guidance for the final phase of the negotiations, on the basis of the following programme.

- June 2004 XIV BNC (Buenos Aires):

  -  pursue negotiations and discussion on all areas of economic and trade negotiations, including the conclusion of common texts and the general review of asymmetrical treatment;

  - Review of progress achieved on SPS and W&S;

  - General evaluation and discussion on the draft for the consolidated text of the Agreement (differences remaining at the level of the texts, institutional aspects, etc).

  - Business Facilitation, sustainable development and EU Enlargement;

- July 2004 XV BNC (Brussels):

  -  pursue negotiations on offers on Services, Government Procurement and Investment with a view of closing the chapters;

  - pursue negotiations on goods including definition of SDT

    with a view of closing the chapter;

  - Pursue negotiations with a view to concluding negotiations on SPS and W&S;

  -  Pursue negotiations with a view to concluding negotiations and discussion on all areas of economic and trade negotiations, including common texts, modalities of implementation and general review of asymmetrical treatment;

  - Business Facilitation, EU Enlargement and sustainable

    development: global assessment;

  - General evaluation on the consolidated text of the Agreement;

October 2004: Trade Negotiators Meeting at Ministerial Level (Europe).