EEC/Central America agreement: framework agreement for cooperation

This proposal for a decision concerned the conclusion of a Framework Cooperation Agreement between the Community and several Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. It was based on respect for human rights and democratic principles. The Agreement included a future development clause which allowed the areas of cooperation to be diversified. It provided for: - the strengthening of cooperation in all areas of common interest: economic, financial, commercial, social, science and technology, environmental and regional integration sectors; - economy: diversification of economic links, encouragement of trade and investment, transfer of technology, job creation, rural development, support for regional integration initiatives, statistics; - most-favoured nation clause, - development and promotion of trade cooperation; - other areas of cooperation: industrial, investment, cooperation between financial institutions, science and technology, standards, protection of intellectual and industrial property, cooperation in the mining, energy, transport, information technology and telecommunications, tourism, environment and development sectors, in the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural sectors, public health and administration, social development, combating drug abuse, assistance for displaced persons, regional integration in Central America, culture, training etc. The Agreement also included an Annex on maritime transport and unilateral declarations on the protection of investment, priority Community support for projects of a regional nature and the special concessions granted by the Community to these countries in the context of the generalised system of preferences.�