THE ANDEAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, IN AN EXTENDED MEETING WITH THE COMMISSION,

HAVING REVIEWED: Article 128 of the Cartagena Agreement, coded through Decision 563, Decisions 391, 435 and 471 of the Commission and Decision 523 of the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs,

WHEREAS: The Cartagena Agreement establishes that Member Countries will develop joint actions to allow for the further exploitation of their natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable and for the preservation and improvement of the environment;

During the 10^th Meeting of the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, in March 2003, the Foreign Affair Ministers jointly reflected on the current state of affairs of integration and of the new strategic bases, highlighting sustainable development; and specifically, biodiversity and energy alliances, as a potential for the development of Member Countries;

The Member Countries of the Andean Community have assumed various joint commitments, associated with the preservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, through Decision 523, relative to the �Regional Biodiversity Strategy for Andean Tropical Countries�, and to environmental management and sustainable development, through the �Andean Plan to Follow Up on the Sustainable Development Summit of Johannesburg�;

It is convenient for the joint commitments and actions to be coordinated at the highest political and sectorial level, given the importance acquired by environmental affairs in the agenda of the Andean sub-regional integration;

The Ministers of Environmental Affairs of the Andean Community, meeting in Cuenca, Ecuador, on June 9 and 10, 2004, resolved to submit to the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the bases for the proposal to create the Andean Community�s Council of Ministers of Environmental and Sustainable Development Affairs;

The General Secretariat presented Proposal 130 for the consideration of the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs� expanded meeting with the Principal Representatives to the Commission;

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To create the Council of Ministers of Environmental and Sustainable Development Affairs of the Andean Community.

Article 2.- The Council of Ministers of Environmental and Sustainable Development Affairs of the Andean Community will be comprised of the highest environmental and sustainable development authorities of each Member Country, its duty being to assist the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Andean Community Commission and other organizations of the Andean Integration System (SAI), in the definition, harmonization, coordination and approval of community policies in the environmental and sustainable development field. Furthermore, it will be responsible for coordinating the work of the Andean Committee of Environmental Authorities (CAAAM) and of the Andean Committee on Genetic Resources.

Article 3.- In the undertaking of the duties set forth in Decisions 391 and 435, the Andean Committee of Environmental Authorities (CAAAM) and the Andean Committee on Genetic Resources, will take into consideration the guidelines established by the Council of Ministers of Environmental and Sustainable Development Affairs of the Andean Community, further supporting it and keeping it informed on matters relative to their work, at least once each year.

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