EU and Central America sign Association Agreement

On 29 June 2012, the European Union and Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) signed a comprehensive Association Agreement which also includes an ambitious trade component. The signing ceremony took place at the occasion of the Meeting of Presidents of SICA (Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana, Central American Integration System) in Honduras.

The agreement consists of three pillars: political dialogue, cooperation and trade. The provisions related to the free trade area would enter into force at the beginning of 2013 at the latest; whereas the Agreement as a whole will enter into force as soon as it is ratified by all parties.

• Primary Source

European Commission: MEMO/12/505: Comprehensive Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/12/505&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: DG Trade: Countries and regions: Central America http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/central-america/

ESO: Background information: An important step towards regional integration: EU and Central America initial Association Agreement http://www.europeansources.info/record/an-important-step-towards-regional-integration-eu-and-central-america-initial-association-agreement/

ESO: Background information: Progresses in the negotiation between the EU and Central American region bring us closer to a conclusion of the association agreement in Madrid in May http://www.europeansources.info/record/progresses-in-the-negotiation-between-the-eu-and-central-american-region-bring-us-closer-to-a-conclusion-of-the-association-agreement-in-madrid-in-may/

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