Legal Instruments of Integration (IJI) Observatory

This month’s trends

In February 2016 the global trade policy agenda was marked by the signing of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP), which now has to be ratified by the relevant national parliaments. At the regional level, the most notable event was the 4th CELAC Summit, which took place in late January. Regional agreements and bilateral integration schemes showed less dynamism than in the previous period, albeit with some exceptions. However, progress was made on some advanced negotiation processes.

 

360º Panorama

Over the course of the month, there have been advances on 13 existing agreements and 7 trade negotiations.

 

Advanced Negotiations

• TPP: TPP not expected to enter into force until 2018 (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–EU: The MERCOSUR–EU agreement and regional integration (link in Spanish)

• Pacific Alliance: The Pacific Alliance makes headway on productive integration (link in Spanish)

• Reducing extreme poverty a CELAC priority, heads of state agree at 4th CELAC Summit (link in Spanish)

• Ecuador and Turkey: Sights are set on an FTA (link in Spanish)

 

Selected news on trade agreements currently in force

• Chile–China: China becomes the largest importer of Chilean wines (link in Spanish)

• Chile–Turkey: Chile and Turkey sign cooperation agreement (link in Spanish)

• Colombia and Peru–European Union: Colombia and the European Union initiate negotiations for key agricultural trade agreement in post-conflict period (link in Spanish)

• Amazon Cooperation: Strategic action program approved for the management of Amazon basin water resources (link in Spanish)

• Plata Basin: New negotiations with Uruguay after repeal of provision 1108, which regulates export cargoes from Argentine ports (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–India: Commercial strategy involves deepening agreements (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–Peru: Peru and Paraguay strengthen and give new life to bilateral trade relations (link in Spanish)

• Mexico–European Free Trade Association (EFTA): EFTA and Mexico launch negotiations to review their free trade agreement (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–Brazil, Partial Scope Economic Complementarity Agreement 53: Second round of negotiations to expand ECA 53 comes to an end. Brazil proposes an industrial integration agreement to Mexico (link in Spanish)

• Mexico–EU: Mexico and the EU announce bilateral agreement to better position tropical products and add organic ones (link in Spanish)

• Peru–United States of America: Peru: non-traditional exports to the United States grew 90.3% following FTA (link in Spanish)

• Dominican Republic, Central America–United States of America (CAFTA-DR): Dominican trade sector organizations urge government intervention to make agreement implementation fairer (link in Spanish)

• Central American Integration System (SICA): President of Costa Rica calls for substantive Central American integration (link in Spanish)

• SICA’s Pro-Tempore Presidency and General Secretariat hold working meeting to promote integration issues (link in Spanish)

• First ever virtual meeting of SICA presidents concludes successfully (link in Spanish)

 

The IJI is a compilation of regulatory texts, commentaries, and follow-up on legal commitments and developments of an analytical nature concerning the various integration processes taking place in Latin America and the Caribbean. For news and to learn more about the progress made on trade agreements and negotiations, visit IJI.