Foreign Ministers approve provisions on border development

Valencia, June 23, 2001. Two Community provisions that will give a strong boost to border integration and development in the Andean Community (CAN) were approved within the framework of the Thirteenth Andean Presidential Council being held in Valencia (Venezuela).

This announcement was made by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Luis Alfonso Dávila, in reporting on the results of the Meeting of the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers that last night concluded its deliberations in preparation for the Presidential Summit.

These provisions refer to the creation of Border Integration Zones (BIZ) and Binational Border Service Centers (BBSC) in the Andean Subregion.

The BIZs are "territorial border areas adjacent to CAN Member Countries for which policies will be adopted and plans, programs, and projects executed" in order to expedite sustainable border development and integration," the Foreign Minister explained.

The BBSCs, for their part are "the group of facilities that are located in a part of the territory of a Member Country or of two neighboring Member Countries, adjacent to a border crossing, and that include the access routes and structures, equipment, and furnishings used for the integrated control of persons, equipment, goods, and vehicles."

In underscoring the importance of these provisions, CAN Secretary General Sebastián Alegrett stated that their establishment is expected to convert national borders from "possible sources of conflict and depressed areas to bridges for uniting the countries and areas of growth."

The establishment of BIZs is aimed at creating favorable conditions for sustainable border development and integration between CAN Member Countries. To this end, policies and projects will be adopted to promote the unimpeded circulation of persons, vehicles, goods, and services in those zones and immigration, customs, and plant and animal health procedures will be harmonized and simplified.

Plans, programs, and projects will also be carried out to improve the inhabitants’ quality of life, taking into account the limitations posed by the environment and making the most of the advantages it offers. The growth, modernization, and diversification of the production systems in those areas will also be promoted.

In accordance with the Decision, the CAN Member Countries may establish, through the bilateral mechanisms they arrange for, Border Integration Zones between themselves and, if they deem it advisable, with third countries.

In identifying and demarcating BIZs, the countries must consider, among other criteria, the cities that can spur development today or in the future and the areas that are economically and socially depressed, which require combining efforts to bring them out of their backward state.

The Andean countries will establish this provision for or adjust it to at least one BIZ in each of their common border areas within one year after its entry into effect.

Insofar as the BBSCs are concerned, the Community provision stipulates that their aim is to institute an efficient and integrated management and control system for the two-way traffic flows over the border crossings –in other words, over the places linked up by road which the countries have agreed upon and equipped for the entry and departure of persons, equipment, goods, and vehicles.

The use of BBSCs, he pointed out, is intended to avoid "duplication of entry and departure formalities and searches," "promote the direct road transportation of passengers and cargo," and "establish a permanent system for reporting and training at the border for officials and service providers and users," among other things.

The CAN countries may set up as many BBSCs as they consider necessary and notify the Andean Community General Secretariat accordingly within no more than 10 days after these are put into operation, for purpose of their registration and publication in the Cartagena Agreement’s Official Gazette.

A BBSC may be located entirely within the territory of a country, adjacent to a border crossing, or on both sides of the border crossing –in other words, some facilities may be situated in the territory of one country and others in the territory of another country.

Integrated control at the BBSCs will mean having to temporarily stop the flow of people, baggage, goods, and vehicles once only. Harmonized and compatible administrative and operational procedures will be used and progressively converted into sole procedures.