IP/03/431

Brussels, 25 March 2003

EU - Latin American ministerial meetings in Athens (27-28/03)

On March 27 and 28, EU Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten and EU Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy, will participate, alongside EU Foreign Ministers in meetings with their Latin American counterparts from the Rio Group, Mercosur, the Andean Community, Mexico and Chile in Vouliagmeni, near Athens. The following current issues will be addressed: progress made in EU-Mercosur negotiations, the process of regional integration by countries in Central America and the Andean Community, progress in the EU-Mexico relationship and the implementation of the recently concluded EU-Chile Association agreement. International issues will also be discussed. Commissioner Patten will use this opportunity to launch a new political initiative aiming at reassembling all major players in Latin America around the need for action in the field of social cohesion, as a means for economic growth and political stability. He will convey the desire of the European Commission to make social cohesion the central theme of the 3rd EU-Latin America-Caribbean Summit to take place in Mexico in 2004: “Social cohesion is the common and complementary interest that I believe should be the central theme which we add to our strategic partnership at our 2004 EU-Latin America and Caribbean Mexico Summit.” Top on the agenda will be the current negotiations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) “Doha Development Agenda” where the EU shares with Latin America the need to ensure that trade contributes to development. EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said: “At this moment of geopolitical tensions we need to ensure that the world trade system provides the necessary stability, transparency and predictability. Both the EU and Latin American countries should work together to advance the negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda to make a success of the WTO Ministerial meeting in Cancun in September.”

The EU-Andean Community political dialogue in Vouliagmeni will be the occasion to announce the fulfilment of the mandate given by the Madrid Summit (2002) to launch negotiations (6-8 May 2003, in Brussels) to upgrade current EU-Andean Community relations. Negotiations will aim to strengthen Political dialogue by focusing on the concerns of both regions (such as security, regional development and stability, conflict prevention and resolution, human rights, democracy, good governance, terrorism, migration and drugs). Enhanced co-operation will aim at fostering Andean regional integration.

EU and Mercosur Ministers will also meet separately in Vouliagmeni. As negotiators on both sides just completed the 9th round of negotiations on 2nd March in Brussels, Ministers will certainly assess progress made and examine outstanding issues. The EU will also reiterate the EU long term commitment to Mercosur and its integration process in the light of the new initiatives of Presidents Lula (Brazil) and Duhalde (Argentina) on revamping Mercosur.

The 3rd EU-Mexico Joint Council will be the occasion to confirm the excellent level of bilateral relations and successful implementation of the Global Agreement. It will also provide support to an increased participation of civil society in the implementation of the Global Agreement building on the success of the 1st EU-Mexico Civil Society forum last November[1].

Following the conclusion of the EU-Chile Association Agreement in November 2002, whose trade provisions entered into force since February, both parties will held the 1st EU-Chile Association Council. The Association Council will adopt the rules of procedures of the different bodies established in the Agreement.

Finally, the EU-Rio group meeting on 28 March will be the occasion for Commissioner Patten to launch the political initiative for the promotion of Social Cohesion based on moral, economic and political criteria. Moral, because misery and exclusion are contrary to basic values of human dignity and human rights; economic, because social inequalities prevent wide sectors of society from contributing to growth through consumption, savings and investment; and political, because inequalities and exclusion weaken democracy and threaten peace and stability. Commissioner Patten will also announce a common work programme with the Inter-American Development Bank on this issue. The last EU-Rio Group Ministerial was held in Chile in 2001.

Further Information on the EU's relations with Latin America can be found at the following address:

Annex:

P r o g r a m

Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) EU-LAC (March 25, 2003)

Ministerial Meetings EU – Mexico, EU - Andean Community,

EU – Chile, EU – Mercosur, EU- Rio Group (March 27– 28, 2003)

Sunday, March 23, 2003

-am – pm: Arrival of EU – LAC Senior Officials Delegations
Accommodation (ASTIR PALACE HOTEL, Vouliagmeni)

Monday, March 24, 2003

-16:00-21:00: Preparatory Meeting of Senior Officials of LAC countries
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-19:30:Preparatory Meeting of Senior Officials of EU countries
Room: Arion/Conference Hall

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

-09:30: EU-LAC Bi-regional Senior Officials Meeting (morning session)
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-13:00-15:00: Lunch / Buffet for Delegations
Room: Nafsika/ Jason Restaurant

-15:00: EU-LAC Bi-regional Senior Officials Meeting (afternoon session)
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

-am – pm: Arrival of Ministers and Delegations participating in Ministerial Meetings

-09:30 – 10:30: EU Co-ordination Meeting
Preparation of Ministerial documents (if necessary)

Thursday, March 27, 2003

-09:30 -12:45: ΕU – Mexico

-09:30 – 11:00: 1st Session, Political Dialogue

-11:00 – 12:45: 2nd Session, Joint Council
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-12:45-13:15: Press Conference
Room: Arion/Banquet

-13:30-15:30: EU - Andean Community
Political Dialogue (Working Lunch)
Room: Αrion/Pegasus

-13:30: Lunch / Buffet for Delegations
Room: Nafsika/ Jason and Kymata Restaurants

-15:30-16:00: Press Conference
Room: Arion/Banquet

-16:10-18:00: EU – Chile
Association Council
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-18:00-18:30: Press Conference
Room: Arion/Banquet

-21:00-23:00: EU – Mercosur, Bolivia, Chile
Political Dialogue (Working Dinner)
Room: Αrion/Pegasus

-21:00-22:30: Dinner / buffet for Delegations
Room: Nafsika/ Jason and Kymata Restaurants

-23:00-23:30: Press Conference
Room: Arion/Banquet

Friday, March 28, 2003

-09:30-10:15: Opening Speeches for EU – Rio Group Ministerial Meeting
EU Presidency, Presidency of the Rio Group (Peru), European Parliament, Parlatino
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-10:15-10:30: Coffee Break

-10:30-13:00: EU – Rio Group Ministerial Meeting, 1st Session
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-13:15-14:45: EU – Rio Group(Working Lunch)
Room: Αrion/Pegasus

-13:15: Lunch / Buffet for Delegations
Room: Nafsika/ Jason and Kymata Restaurants

-15:00: Family photo

-15:10-17:30: EU – Rio Group Ministerial Meeting, 2nd Session
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

-18:00-18:30: Press Conference
Room: Arion/Banquet

-21:00-23:00: Dinner for Ministers and Delegations (offered by the Greek Presidency)
Room: Nafsika/Congress Hall

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[1]IP/02/1729 : First EU-Mexico Civil Society Forum on 26 November In Brussels