Guadalajara, Mexico, 29 May 2004

1. On the occasion of the Third Summit between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, held in Guadalajara, the Presidents of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, Heads of State of the member countries of the Andean Community, held a working session with the EU Troika, represented by the Irish Prime Minister, acting as President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.

2. The Heads of State and of Government welcomed the signature of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreements between the European Union and the Andean Community held on 15 December 2003 in Rome. In view of the progress achieved, the Heads of State and Government reconfirmed the positive signal given by the Madrid Declaration in relation to the negotiation of an Association Agreement, including a free trade area. Such Association Agreement is our common strategic objective.

3. Leaders also reaffirmed that an Association Agreement between their regions, which includes a free trade area should give a new impetus to strengthen the regional economic integration process. They agreed to open now a process leading to such an agreement, which would start at this stage with a joint assessment phase of the Andean Community’s economic integration process. This would lead, in due course, to negotiations. Leaders also agreed that any future FTA shall be built on the outcome of the Doha Development Agenda and the realization of a suffícient level of regional economic integration.

4. In order to implement the above-mentionaned process, the Heads of State and of Government decided that the Joint Committee, established by the Cooperation Agreement in force between the Andean Community and the European Union shall meet in the second semester of 2004 to clearly define the steps to follow, what will be the timetable of activities and which goals and objectives have to be accomplished in the process leading to opening substantive negotiations for a rnutually beneficial agreement.

5. The Heads of State and Government analysed the situation in the Andean region, welcoming progress made towards broadening the regional agenda to social and security issues. They discussed in particular the global problems of drugs and terrorism. In this context, the EU stated it was exploring ways to continue to promote, as far as possible and in compliance with WTO requirements, preferential access to the EU market for export products of the nations most affected by the production and trafficking of illicit drugs. The Heads of State and Government reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation to address the problems caused by illegal drugs and to making full use of existing schemes for dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the CAN. They expressed their satisfaction about the outcome of the 7 EU-Andean Community High Level Dialogue on Drugs Meeting, as well as that of the 5 Meeting on the Agreement of Precursors between both regions.

6. The Heads of State and Government reiterated their firm condemnation of all acts of terrorism and the financing thereof and expressed their commitment to cooperate and combat terrorism in all its forms, in accordance with the UN charter and with full respect for international human rights’ and humanitarian law. In this regard they declared their commitment to the full implementation of UNSCR 1373 and called upon all States to become parties to, or to implement as soon as possible, all the relevant international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism.

7. They looked forward to the rapid ratification of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement whose provisions relating to the fight against illicit drugs and related crimes as well as to the fight against terrorism and the financing thereof they specifically welcomed.

8. The Heads of State and Government concurred on the importance of the Quito Meeting on migration held in March 2004 which laid the foundations for constructive cooperation by starting a comprehensive dialogue on migration issues with a view to enhancing cooperation and mutual knowledge of migratory realities in both regions. They underlined the importance of cooperating on migrant remittances in order to facilitate and to reduce the costs of and the transfer of remittances, in accordance with relevant national legislation.