Thursday, February 2, 2012

Andean Group

Andean Group-About Andean Group:

Andean Group - Introduction

Andean Group, also known as the Andean Pact, the South American Andes developing regional economic cooperation organization. May 26, 1969, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Secretary Lu Wuguo in Cartagena, Colombia, signed the "Andean regional integration agreements", later known as "Cartagena Agreement", the establishment of the Cartagena Agreement Committee, October 16, 1969 after the Agreement enters into force, renamed the Andean Pact.

February 13, 1973 Venezuela joined the Andean Group. In October 1976, Chile announced its withdrawal, in September 1992, Peru suspended commitment to the economic obligations of the partner countries In 1994 May, five countries have reached in January 1, 1995 into the Andean free trade zone. September 5, 1995, the Andean Group, the seventh meeting of the Presidential Council decided to establish the Andean Integration System. In January 1996, the Peruvian Government announced a comprehensive Jia Ruan Andean Integration System, assume all the obligations of member states. March 9, 1996, and easy for the present name. In April 2006, Venezuela and Colombia by Peru sign free trade agreement with the United States to withdraw from the organization. It is now only Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador four countries. Panama and Mexico for the long-term observers, members of Chile is accepted as a partner, but not full members. Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as the associated countries. Now Panama is also the intention to join CAN. To July 1, 2007 members of four are: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. Andean Group, headquartered in Lima, Peru.

Andean Group - Aims

Andean Group's mission is to promote balance and coordination between Member States to develop, the abolition of tariff barriers to ask member states to form a common market, accelerate the economic integration process.

Andean Group - Organization

Andean Group include: Cartagena Agreement Commission, Technical Committee, the Andean Reserve Fund, the Andean Parliament, the Andean Court of Justice, the Andean Development Corporation, Economic and Social Advisory Council and the General Secretariat of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

(1) Presidential Council (formerly known as the 1995 Cartagena Agreement Commission): the highest decision-making body to determine the direction of the integration process of the organization. Once a year.

(2) Council of Foreign Ministers: Foreign ministers from the member states to coordinate member states foreign policy. Meet at least twice a year.

(3) The General Secretariat: replace the original Cartagena Agreement Commission, is the executive body Andean Community, the right to represent Andean integration with other organizational dialogue. Secretary-General elected by the foreign ministers, serving for four years, up for another term. Secretary-General during his tenure, it may not serve as staff, shall not be required to accept any national government and international institutions instructions; if committed a serious error, which may be agreed by all member states to replace.

(4) The Andean Committee: appointed by the Member States presidential plenipotentiary composition. Together with the Council of Foreign Ministers responsible for integration policies, coordination and supervision of the implementation of the policy, and can call other ministers held an enlarged meeting, study and formulate relevant policies.

(5) of the Andean Parliament: October 25, 1979 established the Department Andean advisory body. Each member from the five-member parliamentary factions, a term not exceeding five years. Regular meetings held every year, the headquarters and permanent secretariat based in Lima, Peru.
Andean Group - the main activities:
Before the 1990s• 1979 In May, five heads of state signed the "Cartagena power of attorney", the Andean Group's activities by the economic cooperation extended to the political sphere. September, in the sixth Summit of the Non-Aligned countries issued a joint statement, adhere to the Non-Aligned Movement's fundamental principles. October 5, President or the President signed on behalf of "Panama Minutes" and support the Panama Canal and the U.S. signed a new treaty.
• 1982 April 5 countries on the Falklands conflict between Argentina and Britain issued a joint statement, the full support of A, condemned the European Union to impose economic sanctions on the Arab.• 1983 January Agreement, the Commission decided to set up entrepreneurial Advisory Board and the Labour Advisory Board, members of the private sector to participate in the absorption process of integration. March 1983, the Andean Parliament strongly condemned foreign interference in Central America. In July, the Andean Court was established, whose main task is to mediate disputes and the right to not implement the treaty members of the organization sanctions.
• 1984 In May, the Andean Parliament adopted the "Lima Declaration" that Latin America's external debt by the debtor and creditor countries shared responsibility, requiring the renegotiation of foreign debt in the developed countries on the issue of flexibility and realism. February 1986, five countries identified the active economic ministers' meeting of trade within the region of small outline emergency plan, as modified by the Cartagena Agreement on the principle of negotiations to develop regulations to modify the principles of the common use of foreign capital.
• 1987 In May, five government representatives signed the "Andean Pact modify Protocol", in trade and tariffs, the five countries on a number of "sensitive products" exceptions to tax system, for some products to implement a limited "trade management system . " Requires each member has the right to develop their own foreign policies and decisions of foreign investment in the sector, and foreign-funded enterprises can export rate of profit, replacing the previous restrictions on foreign Resolution No. 24.
• 1988 In July, the Commission sent a delegation to visit Cartagena Agreement member countries to promote the national government to strengthen consultations and coordinate positions, actively and steadily develop regional integration, and to absorb the country's private enterprises to participate in the integration process.• 1989 In May and December, the Andean Group has in Cartagena, Colombia and Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, held two summit meetings, the statement required by Member States coordinate their positions, to take practical steps to promote integration process development.
• 1990 March, the Cartagena Agreement Commission announced a unified five countries to reduce external tariff, the minimum tariff rate from 110% down to 50%, reduced to 19 categories of taxes by the seven categories. In November, the Fourth Summit of the "La Paz Outline" to determine the five countries on January 1, 1992 a free trade zone of the target.
The 1990s• 1991 In December, the sixth summit meeting approved the five countries on the establishment of free trade agreements, decisions from January 1, 1992 from the implementation of a common external tariff.• 1992 In April, Peru and Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations since the 7th summit was postponed indefinitely. In June, the establishment of regional free trade zone plan was delayed, the integrated development of the Andean region is facing a serious crisis. In September, E, glass accept the common external tariff standards, Columbia, Committee elimination of export subsidies. Since 1993, the Andean Group, the Latin American and the world's first free trade zone formed by developing countries, and began to implement a common external tariff (except Peru).
• 1994 in Peru to restore some of its membership. In May, the common external tariff on five countries agreed that from January 1, 1995 from countries outside the region to 11.8% of the average tariff, according to the range of products, tariffs of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of fourth gear. November, the five countries signed a common external tariff agreement, the agreement from February 1, 1995 effective from this point, the Andean Customs Union was established.
• 1996 March 8th summit decided to set up the Andean Community, the establishment of the Andean Integration System, members of the same.• 1997 January 5 meeting of foreign ministers expressed support for Peru, the "hostage" position. April 6 months, as with other members of Peru's trade deficit between the serious and common tariffs, and other members of the divergence, once announced its withdrawal from Andean. Negotiated after the issue of mutual tariff concessions made, secret "out of storm" temporarily subsided. August 1, Andean Community started operating.
• 1999 In May, the 11th Summit of the latest in 2005, establishing a common market goals, decided to gradually implement a common foreign policy.
21st Century• 2000 the 12th Summit reaffirmed at the end of 2005 to establish the Andean Common Market integration of development goals, decided to establish anti-drug, anti-corruption, security and trust mechanisms in areas such as democracy, the implementation of a common foreign policy, the development of the implementation of social development specific action plans.
• 2001, the 13th summit meeting decided to intensify the implementation of the Andean integration agenda, and strive on December 31, 2005 to establish the Andean Common Market, and gradually expand the country between the freedom of movement, from January 1, 2002, the member states mutual recognition of personal identification, no later than December 31, 2005 issued by Andean unified passport; and strive to be completed in January 2002 with the establishment of the Mercosur free trade area negotiations.
• 2002 年 1 30, An ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Andean five members of president. The meeting mainly discussed the Andean integration process problems, December 31, 2003 introduction of common external tariffs, introduction of the common agricultural policy, and further coordination of foreign policy issues such as agreement. Issued the "Declaration of Santa Cruz."
• 2003 June 14th Summit held at Columbia-based Rama City, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru's First Vice President and President attended the meeting, President Lula of Brazil as a special guest to attend. The meeting mainly discussed how to strengthen the Andean Community and Mercosur in the field of government and economic cooperation, coordination, the two groups in the "Free Trade Area of ​​the Americas," the position of the process and other issues. After signing the "Declaration Ji Lama", decided to accelerate the development of Andean common foreign and security policy, coordination of Member States in the movement of persons, social security, medical insurance and other social policy areas; to strengthen democracy, promote good governance, anti- toxic anti-corruption, eradicate illicit arms trafficking, and promote common development of the entire region
 
Andean Group - External Relations:

Andean Group has with Mexico (October 1972), Argentina (November 1972), Spain (June 1973), the European Community (December 1983) established a Mixed Commission, signed a cooperation agreement with Panama.
• 1979 January 5, Cuban foreign ministers and foreign ministers signed the "Memorandum of Understanding", decided to set up a permanent consultative body.
• 1981 4 on the U.S. to begin the implementation of the Andean Tariff Preferences.
• 1977 July and the European Community issued the bulletin to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, signed in 1983, the first five-year cooperation agreement to strengthen the political and economic cooperation.
• 1999 In June, the EU decided to Andean countries, the GSP will be extended in 2004.
• 1983 October Economic Commission for Latin America to sign with the cooperation agreement, decided to finance, negotiations and other aspects of international economic cooperation.
• 1985 November, with members of the Central American Common Market held its first meeting in San Jose, to discuss strengthening trade between the two organizations.
• 1998 In April, with Panama signed a free trade area negotiations to establish a framework agreement. April 16, and the Southern Common Market signed a framework agreement, the decision on January 1, 2000 onwards to establish free trade zone between the two groups, but no significant progress until the negotiations. Mercosur members Brazil and the Andes to reach a separate preferential tariff agreement.
• 2003 In June, the Organization of American States to attend the 33rd Congress, Andean Community and MERCOSUR member states Foreign Ministers reiterated the end of 2003 to complete free trade negotiations between the two regions desire, decided to set up a two-regional headquarters and Secretariat members of the working group to develop plan for negotiations.