Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz


Benita Ferrero, the European Commissioner for External Relations confirmed that the European Union was interested in negotiating free trade deals with the Andean Community (CAN), a trade bloc comprising the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

On the other hand, Ferrero clarified that if negotiations did not go as expected, the European Union would consider the possibility of establishing talks with Peru and Colombia without the CAN.

The European Commissioner explained that the goal was to have a free trade pact established by September 2009.

Lima and Bogotá's request would be considered if this deadline were in someway put at risk, Ferrero said.

In 2007, authorities in Peru suggested that the EU negotiate a free trade pact excluding the other members of the Andean Community bloc.

Peru's government claimed that leftist governments had anti-free-trade stances that were delaying the deal.

"(Colombia and Peru) are ready, but we've stopped them, but there comes a time, it's true, there is a limit to that," said Ferrero in a press conference.

She added that it was necessary to be a little more flexible when negotiating with Ecuador and Bolivia, countries that had presented "asymmetries" in the Andean bloc.

She insisted the EU would do everything possible to negotiate with the Andean bloc as a whole.