IN EXTENDED MEETING OF THE ANDEAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITH THE PRINCIPAL REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE THE ANDEAN COMMUNITY COMMISSION,

HAVING REVIEWED: Articles 3, 16, 17, 20, 22, 51 and 52 of the Cartagena Agreement coded through Decision 563 and Decisions 329, 458 and 542; and

WHEREAS: The Andean Community and the European Community and their Member States are committed with the consolidation and enhancement of their close historic and cultural ties through the strengthening of their political, economic, social and cultural relations based on their shared values, principles and interests;

The Andean Community and its Member States, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, and the European Community and its Member States entered into the Political Dialog and Cooperation Agreement on December 15, 2003, in Rome;

This new Agreement encompasses and reaffirms in a single instrument the advances achieved through the Cooperation Framework Agreement in force in the Andean Community since October 1992, and the Declaration of Rome on Political Dialog entered into in 1996;

Expanding the scope of the Andean-European political dialog and cooperation, the new Agreement reflects the multidimensional character of the biregional ties in a road map that will lead us to the establishment of a strategic alliance through an Association Agreement that includes a free trade zone between both blocks and that will be entered into in the shortest possible term;

The General Secretariat submitted Proposal 131/Rev. 1 to the consideration of the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in an extended meeting with the Principal Representatives before the Commission;

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the Political Dialog and Cooperation Agreement to be entered into by and between the European Community and its Member States, and the Andean Community and its Member States, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

Article 2.- To commission the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the Andean Community Commission and General Secretariat to identify the priorities and, in coordination with the competent national authorities of the Member Countries, to prepare the agendas for the meetings of the Joint Commission and specialized Subcommissions, and the proposals for the community cooperation projects.

Given in the city of Quito, Republic of Ecuador, on July 11, 2004.