EC/Chile relations: current state of relations

Recalling that the agreement that had existed with Chile since 1990 had to be re-negotiated in order to revive a political and economic association between the EU and that country, the rapporteur, Mrs MIRANDA de LAGE (PSE, E), referred to the two areas that Parliament considered were especially important for the success of the initiative that had been launched by the Commission. These related to the institutionalisation of parliamentary dialogue and the strengthening of cooperation on trade in order to pave the way for the progressive and reciprocal liberalisation of trade in goods and services. Commissioner BRITTAN began by pointing out that a joint declaration on setting up a political dialogue between the interested parties had been signed in MADRID on 18 December last. In this context, dates had already been set for a series of regular meetings between the President of Chile and senior authorities of the EU Council of Ministers. The Directives relating to trade negotiations, which were to be approved by the Council at the end of January, would create new institutional mechanisms (a sub-committee for trade) and establish methods for developing trade liberalisation in the right direction.