EC/Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement

The Committee has adopted the report by Ana MIRANDA DE LAGE (PES, E) by 13 votes to 7 with 3 abstentions. The committee is proposing that Parliament give its assent to the draft agreement on an economic, political coordination and cooperation partnership between the Community and its Member States for the one part and Mexico for the other. According to the rapporteur, this agreement has enormous potential for cooperation between the two sides and will entail the provision of financial and technical assistance by the EU to Mexico for programmes to combat poverty and boost regional development, cooperation on human rights and the protection of indigenous communities. During the debate several MEPs spoke against concluding the agreement at present because of the human rights situation in Mexico. Some said that Parliament should not approve an agreement which did not yet exist in its final form.�