SICE: TPD: Mexico-Northern Triangle

Agreements

Disciplines

Trade Policy Developments

	Mexico-Northern Triangle

Background and Negotiations

Discussions towards a free trade agreement between Mexico and the Central American countries began in January 1991, when the presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua and Mexico signed the Declaration of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, which provided a framework for trade relations between Central American countries and Mexico. At the second Tuxtla Gutierrez Summit, held in 1996 in San José, Costa Rica, countries reaffirmed their commitment to the creation of a free trade zone and agreed to continue working on the bilateral or regional free trade negotiations.

At this second Tuxtla Summit, the presidents of Mexico and the three Northern Triangle countries -- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- pledged, within the Joint Declaration and Plan of Action, their intent to restart their free trade agreement negotiations. The Mexico-Northern Triangle free trade agreement was signed on 29 June 2000.

Documents relating to the negotiations
29 June 2000	Signing of the Mexico-Northern Triangle Free Trade Agreement
17 July 1998	Joint Declaration and Plan of Action of the third Tuxtla Gutiérrez Summit
16 February 1996	Joint Declaration and Plan of Action of the second Tuxtla Gutiérrez Summit
11 January 1991	Declaration of Tuxtla Gutiérrez
11 January 1991	Act of the Heads of State of the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United Mexican States
11 January 1991	Agreement of Tuxtla Gutierrez between the presidents of Central America and Mexico
Source: Presidencia de la República de México; Secretaría de Integración Económica Controamericana (SIECA)

Entry into Force

The Mexico-Northern Triangle free trade agreement entered into force on 15 March 2001 between Mexico and El Salvador and Guatemala and on 01 June for Mexico and Honduras.

Documents relating to the entry into force
14 March 2001	Mexico. Decree promulgating the free trade agreement between the United Mexican States and the Republics of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
29 June 2000	Joint Declaration
Source: Secretaría de Economía de México; Secretaría de Integración Económica Controamericana (SIECA)

Implementation of the Agreement

Article 18-01 of Mexico-Northern Triangle Agreement establishes an Administrative Commission to oversee the implementation and operation of the Agreement. The Commission will meet at least once per year in an ordinary session and in an extraordinary session under party request.

Documents relating to the implementation of the agreement
17 May 2011	New agreement on textiles comes into force under the Mexico-Northern Triangle FTA
31 October 2007	Fourth meeting of the FTA Administrative Commission
13 December 2005	Northern Triangle and Mexico make progress in reviewing the Free Trade Agreement
15 August 2005	Third meeting of the Administrative Commission
13 April 2004	Resolution modifying language on customs issues
14 March 2001	Resolution on customs issues
20 August 2001	Agreement on the regulation of the operation of the committee on regional integration on inputs of the Mexico-Northern Triangle FTA according to the Administrative Commission of that agreement
Source: Ministerio de Economía de El Salvador; Sistema Integral de Información de Comercio Exterior (SICEX), México

Decisions of the Free Trade Agreement Administrative Committee
19 April 2011	Decision Nº. 19. Granting a temporary waiver for the use of materials produced or obtained outside the free trade area for the purpose of applying preferential tariff treatment to certain synthetic or artificial staple fibers
28 February 2008	Decision Nº 18. Rules of Operation of Annex 3-20 of the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
31 October 2007	Decision Nº 17. List of arbitrators established in chapter XIX Dispute Resolution, article 19-08 (List and qualifications of the arbitrators) of the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
04 May 2006	Decision Nº 16. Related to the duration of quotas established in Decision Nº15 of the Administrative Committee
12 August 2005	Decision Nº 15. Acceleration of tariff elimination and establishment of quotas for certain products included in the tariff elimination program between Mexico and El Salvador
12 August 2005	Decision Nº 14. Amount of remuneration and expenses payable to the arbitrators and assistants for the dispute settlement process between El Salvador and Honduras as complaining parties and Mexico as respondent, established in accordance with chapter XIX of the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
12 August 2005	Decision Nº 13. Understanding related to the billing by an operator located in a non-party country of traded goods under the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
12 August 2005	Decision Nº12. Modifications to Annexes 6-03, 6-20 and 6-26
14 April 2005	Decision Nº11. National treatment and market access
	Decision Nº 10. National treatment and market access
15 October 2003	Decision Nº 09. National treatment and market access
01 December 2003	Decision Nº 08. Market Access and verification of imported footwear
29 July 2003	Decision Nº 07. National treatment and market access
16 January 2003	Decision Nº 06. List of arbitrators established in chapter XIX Dispute Resolution, article 19-08 (list and qualifications of the arbitrators) of the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
16 January 2003	Decision Nº 05. Establishment of the Secretariat for the Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras FTA
23 November 2001	Decision Nº 04. Market access for goods
06 July 2001	Decision Nº 03
06 July 2001	Decision Nº 02
06 July 2001	Decision Nº 01. Approval of the rules of operation for the Committee of Regional Integration of Inputs

Dispute Resolution

Chapter XIX of the Mexico-Northen Triangle FTA regulates the dispute settlement mechanism.

Related Documents to Dispute Resolution
14 August 2006	El Salvador vs. Mexico: Measures related to health registration and access to medicines
Source: Secretaría de Economía de México