Declaration of Tarija 

We, the Presidents of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, meeting in the city of Tarija – Bolivia as the Seventeenth Andean Council of Presidents, have agreed to the following Declaration: 

1.- Deepening and Renewal of the Integration Process 

We express our conviction that it is necessary to develop and deepen the Andean Community integration process by taking more effective account of the visions and approaches of the Member Countries, in order to achieve unity within our diversity to serve our peoples’ wellbeing and our harmony with nature.  It is necessary to forge a comprehensive integration movement in which social, cultural, economic, environmental and trade aspects are in better balance.   

2.- Strengthening of Democracy 

We reiterate that one of the Andean Community’s objectives is to strengthen democracy in the region and the participation of all of its citizens by guaranteeing respect for human rights and ensuring justice, transparency and the right to define our own policies in the full exercise of our sovereignty.   

3.- Trade Integration 

We insist on the need to consolidate Andean trade integration by taking the necessary measures to develop and interlink markets in the subregion.  In this undertaking, it is essential to recognize existing asymmetries and apply differentiated policies for the purpose of achieving more balanced development.                                               

We consider it essential for social policies and measures to promote more equitable distribution of the benefits of trade and economic growth among all population sectors, particularly small rural and urban producers.    

We instruct the Andean Community Commission at its next Regular Session to be held this coming July, to take a decision on the proposal put forward by the Republic of Ecuador regarding the Common External Tariff, in application of the stipulations of Chapter Fifteen of the Cartagena Agreement.   

4.- Launching of the Andean Community – European Union negotiations 

We emphasize the importance of the launching of the negotiation of an Association Agreement between the Andean Community and the European Union, which represents a basic step forward in our biregional relations that we feel certain will contribute to the welfare, progress and balanced and harmonious development of our nations.  In this context, we welcome the approval of Decision 667, General framework for the negotiation of the Association Agreement between the Andean Community and the European Union. 

5.- Chile’s incorporation as an Associate Member of the Andean Community 

We express our pleasure at President Michelle Bachelet’s presence and hail Chile’s incorporation as an Associate Member Country, which, together with that of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, States Parties to MERCOSUR, will improve the outlook for Latin American integration. 

6.- Fifth Latin America and the Caribbean – European Union Summit  

We affirm our will to participate actively in the preparation of the Fifth Latin America and the Caribbean – European Union Summit to be held in Lima in May 2008, in order to reinforce the strategic biregional association and ensure the adoption of operational measures to enhance our capacity for joint action on priority matters of common interest, like the war on poverty and climate change.   

7.- Union of South American Nations 

We are gratified by the substantive definitions adopted last April on UNASUR that we hope will result in its establishment during the Third Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on December 6 to 8, 2007.  This would make it possible to move toward the construction of an effective vehicle for regional integration.   

8.- Environment 

Conscious of rapid environmental deterioration, and particularly the climate change that endangers life on earth, we confirm that environmental protection, sustainable biodiversity and water use, and reduction of the effects of climate change based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, are basic Andean Community objectives.  

9.- Climate Change 

We express our solidarity with the victims of the extreme cold wave affecting high Andean areas in southern Peru and the flood victims in eastern Bolivia.  As a result of the climate change and faced by worsening and increasingly frequent disasters, of which the most vulnerable populations are the main victims, the Andean Community Governments call upon the International Community for its urgent and necessary cooperation.   

10.- Social Agenda 

We encourage the Andean Council of Ministers of Social Development to advance the implementation of the Integral Plan for Social Development (PIDS), particularly by strengthening the National Committees with the participation of organized civil society; executing socio-labor, educational, health, intercultural, food security and sovereignty and rural development projects; and implementing the program to harmonize social indicators.   We also instruct the Advisory Council of Labor Ministers and the General Secretariat to shortly approve the regulations for the socio-labor instruments on labor migration and social security.   

11.- Migration 

We remind the International Community about the historic labor, economic and cultural contributions made by migrants, regardless of their migratory status, to the societies that receive them.  We stress that the continued existence of restrictive barriers based on unilateral approaches merely encourages irregular migration and points up their inconsistency.  In this context, we urge the International Community to promptly ratify the "International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.” We also reiterate the importance of effectively implementing Decision Nº 545 "Andean Labor Migration Instrument." 

12.- Working Committee on Indigenous People’s Rights 

We ratify our conviction that the participation and contribution of the indigenous peoples within the Andean Community make it possible to consolidate democracy and create the necessary conditions for sustained development and, consequently, for regional integration projects.  In this connection, we recommend the rapid institution of the Working Committee on Indigenous People’s Rights provided for in Decision Nº 524. 

13.- War against corruption 

We reaffirm our commitment to fight corruption as an essential requirement for safeguarding the State’s heritage, strengthening democracy, consolidating institutional legitimacy and promoting the comprehensive development of the Andean peoples.  In this context, we express our will to shortly implement the Andean Cooperation Plan to Fight Corruption.   

14.- Shared responsibility for controlling the worldwide Drug problem  - ATPDEA and SGP Plus 

We express the importance of the effective application of the principle of shared responsibility in controlling the worldwide drug problem by promoting a balanced, comprehensive and sustainable approach.  In this framework, we underscore the need to maintain mechanisms like the ATPDEA and the SGP Plus for as long as necessary to back the Andean effort and contribution to this fight.   

We urge National Authorities, pursuant to Decision 505 “Andean Cooperation Plan for the Control of Illegal Drugs and Related Offenses,” to promote efforts to establish formulas for alleviating the problem of growing synthetic drug consumption in our countries.  Also to put into effect, in the national and Andean drug observatories, tools to measure our efforts in fighting this scourge.  

15.- Strengthening of the dispute settlement mechanism 

We support the immediate reactivation of the Ad-Hoc Group to perfect the Andean Dispute Settlement System, in order to continue reforming the Statute of the Andean Court of Justice of the Andean Community, whose conclusions should be made known to the Commission and subsequently submitted to the next meeting of the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers for consideration.    

16.- Andean Satellite Project 

We reiterate our support for the implementation of the Andean satellite project and agree to make the necessary arrangements to ask the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil to request, through his high office, that Position 68º West not be allocated, in order not to compromise the viability of the Andean Satellite, which occupies Position 67º West. 

17.- Rejection of discrimination in sports 

We call upon the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) to reject the decision of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to prohibit official international football matches in sports stadiums located above 2,500 meters, in clear violation of the principle of football universality and to the detriment of the Andean Community Member Countries.   

18.- Alternative Energy 

We reiterate the will of our countries to diversify energy sources, thereby safeguarding our peoples’ environment and food security.   

We thank the people and authorities of Bolivia, and most particularly the Tarijeño people and officials, for the magnificent welcome showed to the various delegations that participated in the Summit and the excellent organization of the related activities. 

Signed in the city of Tarija, Bolivia, on the fourteenth of June of two thousand and seven.   

Evo Morales Ayma,
President of the Republic of Bolivia;

Rafael Correa Delgado,
President of the Republic of Ecuador;

Álvaro Uribe Vélez,
President of the Republic of Colombia;