Lima, Dec. 10, 2004. The European Parliament today expressed its support for the future association between the Andean Community and the European Union and, at the same time, hailed the recent formation of the South American Community of Nations.

This message was transmitted to Andean Community Secretary General Allan Wagner by members of the European Parliament Delegation responsible for relations with the CAN countries who, headed by its Chairman, Alain Lipietz and accompanied by the Head of the European Delegation in Peru, Mendel Goldstein, visited the headquarters of the Andean organization.

Alain Lipietz described this visit to the CAN as "absolutely exceptional," because it coincided with the creation of the South American Community of Nations, a development of great satisfaction to the European Parliament.

Lipietz stressed that given its own experience, the European Union is determined to support unification and not dispersion and that, as a result, its free trade agreement negotiations will be conducted not with individual countries, but with integration blocs. “We want to discuss with the Andean Community, with Mercosur, and, perhaps tomorrow, with the South American Community of Nations,” he pointed out.

"Europe’s countries would not be in the position they are today, had it not been for their unification in the ‘50’s. Only the progressive unification of the EU has allowed our countries to escape the domination of the major foreign powers. We are going to help the Andean and South American countries build their democratic, cultural, and economic independence,” Lipietz stated emphatically.

Ambassador Wagner, for his part, made a detailed presentation of the current status of the process, the new strategic design, the Plan of Action put into play following the Quito Presidential Meeting of July 2004, and the Andean and South American Summits recently held in Cusco.

During the more than hour-long dialogue, emphasis was placed on the relations between the Andean Community and the European Union and the consultations to be started on January 21, 2005 regarding the joint CAN-EU assessment of the integration process, with a view toward reaching an Association Agreement that would include a Free Trade Agreement.

Other issues were addressed in the course of a frank and open conversation, such being: aspects of physical integration through the IIRSA hubs, agricultural subsidies, the principle of shared responsibility in the war on drugs, the CAN’s contribution of energy resources to the building of the South American Community, and the wealth and sustainable utilization of its biodiversity.