PURPOSE: to conclude the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the EU-Central America Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed on 15 December 2003 in Rome.

Due to the mixed nature of this agreement, Member States had to ratify the agreement. This phase was concluded in December 2011 with the deposit of the last two outstanding ratifications.

According to the provisions of the agreement, it will enter into force one month after the deposit of this instrument of approval.

The Agreement should now be approved on behalf of the European Union.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 212(3), in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: under this Agreement, it is proposed that the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama be approved on behalf of the Union.

The text of the Agreement is presented in accordance with the 2003 version. It aims to:

• consolidate the political dialogue and economic cooperation process built up between the Parties under the San Jose Dialogue initiated in 1984 and renewed in Florence in 1996 and in Madrid in 2002;
• strengthen the programme of cooperation governed by the Framework Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republics concerned;
• promote sustainable development in both regions through a development partnership involving all relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, in line with the principles set out in the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Declaration, and its Plan for Implementation;
• establish cooperation on migration issues. The Agreement shall also prepare the way for new initiatives for pursuing common goals and establishing common ground in areas such as regional integration, poverty reduction and social cohesion, sustainable development, regional security and stability, conflict prevention and resolution, human rights, democracy, good governance, migration, and the fight against corruption, illegal immigrants, counter-terrorism, drugs, and small arms and light weapons.

The Political Dialogue Title institutionalises and strengthens the San Jose Dialogue process. The Cooperation Title is based on current cooperation with broadened coverage to include new areas of cooperation such as human rights, migration and counter-terrorism.

The new EU-Central America Agreement focuses solely on political dialogue and cooperation and does not contain a trade component.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: the proposal has no implications for the EU budget.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the EU-Central America Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed on 15 December 2003 in Rome.

Due to the mixed nature of this agreement, Member States had to ratify the agreement. This phase was concluded in December 2011 with the deposit of the last two outstanding ratifications.

According to the provisions of the agreement, it will enter into force one month after the deposit of this instrument of approval.

The Agreement should now be approved on behalf of the European Union.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 212(3), in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: under this Agreement, it is proposed that the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama be approved on behalf of the Union.

The text of the Agreement is presented in accordance with the 2003 version. It aims to:

• consolidate the political dialogue and economic cooperation process built up between the Parties under the San Jose Dialogue initiated in 1984 and renewed in Florence in 1996 and in Madrid in 2002;
• strengthen the programme of cooperation governed by the Framework Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republics concerned;
• promote sustainable development in both regions through a development partnership involving all relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, in line with the principles set out in the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Declaration, and its Plan for Implementation;
• establish cooperation on migration issues. The Agreement shall also prepare the way for new initiatives for pursuing common goals and establishing common ground in areas such as regional integration, poverty reduction and social cohesion, sustainable development, regional security and stability, conflict prevention and resolution, human rights, democracy, good governance, migration, and the fight against corruption, illegal immigrants, counter-terrorism, drugs, and small arms and light weapons.

The Political Dialogue Title institutionalises and strengthens the San Jose Dialogue process. The Cooperation Title is based on current cooperation with broadened coverage to include new areas of cooperation such as human rights, migration and counter-terrorism.

The new EU-Central America Agreement focuses solely on political dialogue and cooperation and does not contain a trade component.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: the proposal has no implications for the EU budget.