Quito, July 11, 2004.- The Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers and the Andean Community Commission approved the Decision which will allow for the formalization, within the Community, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, signed on December 15, 2003, in Rome, by the Andean Community and the European Union.

It is reported that this Agreement with the EU “reveals the multi-dimensional nature of the bi-regional links on the road map to lead us to the configuration of a strategic alliance, through the signing – as soon as may be possible – of an Association Agreement , which will include a free trade zone, common to the two blocks”.

SGP Drug

During a different period of the long meeting attended by the delegations of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, approval was given to the Declaration of the Andean Presidents concerning a 10-year renewal of the SGP Drug.

The text highlights the high social, economic and human costs produced on the Andean countries, as a result of their fight against the scourge of illicit drug traffic.

Accordingly, the Declaration deems it essential for the SGP Drug – an instrument which grants preferred access to the European Union’s market to exports deriving from the nations which are most affected by the production and traffic of illegal drugs – to preserve such chief criteria for its granting and extension, regardless of any other criteria which may be invoked for the granting of similar preferences – within the SGP - to other countries.