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[Luxembourg 2005 Presidency of the Council of the European Union]
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Council Conclusions
Joint Declaration of the II EU-Chile Association Council - Luxembourg, 26 May 2005

Date of release : 26-05-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : EU-Chile Association Council


1. The second meeting of the Association Council established by the EU-Chile Association Agreement was held in Luxembourg on 26 May 2005.

2. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Luxembourg, Mr. Jean Asselborn, as President of the EU Council. The Chilean delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ignacio Walker. The European Commission was represented by Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations.

3. Ministers welcomed the entry into force of the EU-Chile Association Agreement on 1 March 2005. As regards the Protocol adapting the Association Agreement to the EU’s enlargement, it has been adopted by the Council on 10 May 2005. They recognized that this Agreement has given a great impetus to the EU-Chile political, co-operation and trade relations and has widened its scope.

4. Ministers made an assessment of the EU-Chile political dialogue, based on the 1996 Joint Declaration on political dialogue and on the decisions on priority areas taken at the First meeting of the Association Council in Athens on 27 March 2003. They also addressed the state of play of the bilateral consultations and coordination in international fora, including the UN. Ministers agreed that the full implementation of the political dialogue provisions of the Association Agreement, following its entry into force, will contribute to the strengthening of the EU-Chile dialogue and the establishment of positions and initiatives in international matters of mutual interest. Ministers agreed that maximum use should also be done of diplomatic channels and informal contacts at all levels.

The Ministers reaffirmed their resolve to play a major role within the United Nations in general and in preparations for the United Nations Summit in September 2005 in particular. Ministers were determined that this process should result in the devising of common responses to the main development, security and human rights problems.

5. Ministers discussed the international situation, with particular attention to the general situation of Latin America. In this context discussions focused on the regional integration processes.  Ministers reiterated their commitment to a successful 2006 EU-LAC Vienna Summit.

6. Ministers welcomed the participation of Chile in Operation ALTHEA, as a further sign of its strong commitment to global peace and stability. 

 

7. Ministers took note with satisfaction that the balance of the bilateral co-operation so far is very positive, and that the preparation of the Country Strategy Paper 2007-2013, on which Chilean authorities and other stakeholders will be fully involved, has been launched. This document should be approved on the first semester 2006.

8. Ministers acknowledged that the EU-Chile policy dialogues on sectorial issues within the framework of Article 52 of the Association Agreement, such as the one on higher education that has taken place in last March, represent a new approach that leads to a strengthening and deepening of our bilateral relationship. Ministers took note of the Parties intention to extend this policy dialogue to other areas such as employment and social policies, youth, culture, the information society, environment and others.

9. Ministers took note of the Chilean request to benefit from a decentralized management of EC co-operation, in line with its status as an associated country and in accordance with article 164 of the Financial Regulation. This request is being assessed by the competent services of the Commission, and in the light of the current revision of the Financial Regulation.

10. Ministers took stock of the achievements and development of the Trade part of the Association Agreement, two years after its entry into force. They acknowledged that there are encouraging signs of increasing dynamism in the bilateral trade relations. Moreover, Ministers agreed on the work ahead to be implemented this year by the appropriate technical committees.

11. Ministers welcomed the EU-Chile Horizontal Agreement in the field of air transport and took note of the intention to further strengthen the relationship between the EU and Chile and of Chile's request with respect to the liberalisation of services in this area.

12. Ministers decided that the next Association Council will take place in the first semester of 2007 and that the third Association Committee will take place in Brussels in November 2005.


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