Aide-Mémoire on the Seventh Mercosur - Andean Community Meeting
Rio de Janeiro, November 22, 2002

The Seventh Negotiation Meeting for the creation of a Free Trade Area between the Andean Community and MERCOSUR was held in Rio de Janeiro on November 20, 21 and 22, 2002.

The Meeting concentrated on defining a Framework Agreement between MERCOSUR and the Andean Community Countries to be signed during the MERCOSUR Summit planned for December 5 and 6 in Brasilia.

The two delegations agreed that this Framework Agreement, which is aimed at allowing for advances to be made with flexibility based on the understandings achieved to date, will help make it possible to reach a Free Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and the Andean Community shortly.

The delegations further committed themselves to give their answer regarding aspects not yet resolved in the Framework Agreement Project before this coming November 27th.

There was an exchange of opinions in reference to the MERCOSUR proposal on rules of origin. The Andean Community expressed its concern over the approach and the contents of the proposal put forward by MERCOSUR and pinpointed specific difficulties in that regard. It went on to state its preference for general rules, with specific requirements of origin to be applied in special cases. The two delegations agreed to continue studying the subject further.

The Framework Agreement Project currently being negotiated by the two parties is annexed to this Aide-Mémoire.

For the Mercosur Delegation
JOSÉ ANTONIO MARCONDES DE CARVALHO

For the Andean Community Delegation
SANTIAGO CEMBRANO CABREJAS