Legal Instruments of Integration (IJI) Observatory

This month’s trends

Between March and April 2016, the global trade policy agenda continued to be defined by the effects that the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been having on the map of trade agreements. At the regional level there was greater dynamism in bilateral regional agreements and integration and negotiation schemes in comparison with the previous period.

 

360º Panorama

Over the course of the month progress was made on 25 existing agreements, three new agreements, and 16 trade negotiations (14 advanced processes and two new ones).

 

New Negotiations

• Chile—Uruguay: Chile and Uruguay complete second round of negotiations for an FTA that could be ready in July (link in Spanish)
• Mexico–South Korea: Mexico and South Korea seek to establish an FTA (link in Spanish)

 

Advanced Negotiations

• TPP: In Montevideo, ALADI analyzes the impact of the TPP (link in Spanish)

• Pacific Alliance: Pacific Alliance countries seek to boost integration through labor mobility (link in Spanish)

• CARIFORUM–EU: CARICOM denounces EU list on tax jurisdictions as “unfair” (link in Spanish)

• Chile–Indonesia: Representatives from Chile and Indonesia meet to move forward on trade agreements (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Israel: Colombia makes headway on the ratification of its free trade agreement with Israel (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Japan: Delegations from Colombia and Japan confirm new progress towards trade agreement (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Panama: Colombia and Panama finalize details of tax cooperation agreement (link in Spanish)

• Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): Regional integration will move forward through CELAC (link in Spanish)

• Ecuador–El Salvador: El Salvador and Ecuador move towards trade agreement (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–EU: EU and MERCOSUR to exchange offers for an FTA in May (link in Spanish)

 

New Agreements

• Colombia–South Korea: FTA with South Korea is now in place (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Costa Rica: Constitutional Court approves FTA between Colombia and Costa Rica (link in Spanish)

• MERCOSUR–SACU: Trade agreement between MERCOSUR and southern African countries now in force (link in Spanish)

 

Selected news on trade agreements currently in force

• Association of Caribbean States (ACS): Cuba to host the 7th Summit of the Association of Caribbean States (link in Spanish)

• ALADI:
  • ALADI meeting of government representatives ended with great challenges for the Latin America–Asia Pacific Observatory (link in Spanish)
  • MERCOSUR and ALADI join forces to favor regional integration (link in Spanish)

• Chile–South Korea: Korea’s FTAs with Peru and Chile have been successful for trade (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Canada: Canadian mining company Eco Oro complains of Colombia’s alleged violations of FTA (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Mexico: América Móvil to start legal actions in view of FTA with Colombia (link in Spanish)

• Colombia–Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras): Colombian president begins visit to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras during which trade, investment, and security will be discussed (link in Spanish)

• Peru–European Union: Peru: EU supports Ecuador joining FTA but requests it follows WTO rules (link in Spanish)

• Andean Community (CAN):
  • Andean Community countries coordinate joint activities in favor of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (link in Spanish)
  • Regulatory and planning authorities from CAN countries and Chile make headway on regional electrical interconnection (link in Spanish)

• Costa Rica–People’s Republic of China: Costa Rica approves Investment Protection and Promotion agreement with China (link in Spanish)

• United States–Colombia: Mining company Cosigo files claim (link in Spanish)

• United States–Panama: Panama must endeavor to ensure FTA with USA meets objective (link in Spanish)

• Honduras–Canada: The Canadian market is open, we need to understand how to benefit from this. High demand for textiles and agricultural products (link in Spanish).

• MERCOSUR: Uruguay seeks to change MERCOSUR regulation in order to sign more FTAs. A change in the bloc’s rules of play will be requested in order to allow members to negotiate bilateral agreements with third parties (link in Spanish).

• MERCOSUR–India: WTO examines MERCOSUR–India agreement on goods with a view to expanding it (link in Spanish)

• Mexico–Japan: Stringent measures restrict exports to Japan (link in Spanish)

• Mexico–Nicaragua: Forbes Mexico magazine draws attention to how Mexican firms are pursuing business with Nicaragua (link in Spanish)

• Mexico–EU: European Commission brings trade agreement with Mexico up to date (link in Spanish)

• Peru–South Korea: Korea’s FTAs with Peru and Chile have been successful in terms of trade (link in Spanish)

• Dominican Republic, Central America–United States (CAFTA–DR): Ten year anniversary of the implementation of CAFTA-DR (link in Spanish)

• Central American Integration System (SICA): SIECA: Central American exports fell by 7.3% year-on-year in last quarter of 2015 (link in Spanish)

• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): NAFTA has made Mexico a competitive industrial country (link in Spanish)

• COSIPLAN, IIRSA: 29th Meeting of the IIRSA Technical Forum (link in Spanish)

• UNASUR: UNASUR to address regional economic situation and the Bank of the South (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.