Mercosur-EU Troika Ministerial Meeting: Joint Communiqué

Mercosur - European Union Troika Ministerial Meeting; Prague, 14th May
Joint Communiqué

1. On the occasion of the EU-Rio Group Ministerial Meeting in Prague, a meeting between the EU Troika and MERCOSUR took place on 14 May 2009. The European Union was represented by the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Jan Kohout and the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner. The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay Mr. Jorge Lara Castro, as pro-tempore Presidency of MERCOSUR, co-chaired the meeting.

2. Both sides highlighted the need for concerted action to successfully face the challenges of the global economic crisis and its serious social impacts, to better serve the shared aims of sustainable development and social prosperity for all.

3. The Mercosur countries and the EU remain committed to reaching an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Doha Development Round, which is urgently needed. To achieve this, the Mercosur countries and the EU are committed to building on the progress already made, including with regard to modalities. Both sides will give renewed focus and political attention to this critical issue in the coming period and will use their continuing work and all international meetings that are relevant to drive progress. In addition, Mercosur and the EU underscore the critical importance of rejecting protectionism, in all its forms.

4. Both delegations reaffirmed the importance of the political dialogue between their two regions, which gives them the opportunity to tackle issues of common interest and concern, such as democracy and human rights, social issues, sustainable development and climate change.

5. Mercosur and the EU reiterated the high importance they attach to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and their promotion in both regions, as well as worldwide. To this end both sides confirmed their willingness to consult more closely the issues of human rights promotion in multilateral fora with a view to strenghtening their mutual cooperation on topics of common interest.

6. Both sides exchanged views on migration issues and reiterate their commitment to continue discussing this matter within the bi-regional agenda on the terms agreed in the EU-LAC 2008 Lima Declaration.

7. Discussions included an exchange of views on climate change. The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of reaching an ambitious, fair, effective and global agreed outcome, no later than 2009 during the Copenhagen Conference, for the full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change through long-term cooperative action now, up to, and beyond 2012.

8. Both delegations agreed that meaningful cooperation initiatives between the European Union and Mercosur constitute a valuable tool for advancing shared goals and priorities. In this context both sides stressed the need to agree on the priorities for cooperation in a timely manner to bring the mid-term review process of the Regional Strategy Paper 2007 – 2013 to a successful conclusion. In light of the commitment made by the Heads of State at the MERCOSUR-EU Troika Summit in Lima in 2008 both sides agreed working together to identify concrete initiatives to be implemented in the fields of infrastructure, renewable energy sources and science and technology. They agreed to convene dedicated sector workshops this year in order to take discussions forward on future cooperation in these sectors.

9. Mercosur and the EU reaffirmed the importance of the three pillars of the relationship – political, cooperation and trade and the need to strengthen relations between the two regions. They agreed to continue working towards the conclusion of an ambitious and balanced EU-Mercosur Association Agreement.

Contact:

Jiří Beneš, press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 182 052, mobile: +420 602 263 056, E-mail: press@mzv.cz