Seimas ratified the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other

2017-04-28, 12:05

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Photo M. Paluskevic

With 91 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions, the Seimas adopted the Law on ratifying the Agreement establishing an Association between Central America, on the one hand, and the European Union and its Member States, on the other. The Law ratified the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other, (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement) adopted in Tegucigalpa on 29 June 2012. Parties to the Agreement include the Central American Republics of Costa Rika, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama as well as the EU and its Member States, within their respective areas of competence. As defined in its Article 353, the Agreement shall be approved by the Parties in accordance with their own internal legal procedures and shall enter into force the first day of the month following that in which the Parties have notified each other of the completion of the internal legal procedures.

The Association Agreement between the EU and Central America consists of three fundamental parts: political dialogue, cooperation and trade. The Agreement is aimed at promoting democracy, political stability and economic growth in Central America.

When presenting the draft Law, Linas Antanas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, noted that this Agreement was yet another step towards more active political and economic cooperation between the EU and its Member States, on the one part, and the countries of Central America, on the other. The Agreement enshrines the EU’s standard political rules related to human rights, promotion of democracy, political cooperation, conflict prevention, good governance, regional integration, poverty reduction, migration, fight against inequality, climate change, environmental protection, and conservation of biodiversity.

The Minister stated that the Agreement contained important economic provisions regarding reduction or elimination of import tariffs, removal of technical barriers to trade, liberalisation of trade in services, and the effective, reciprocal and gradual opening of government procurement markets of the Parties.

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