December 13, 2021.- With the aim of providing concrete tools to support SMEs in the various issues involving intellectual property in export processes, last Friday the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Pacific Alliance launched the project «Supporting SMEs in the countries of the Pacific Alliance with tools that allow them to make better use of Intellectual Property».

The launch was led by WIPO’s Deputy Assistant Director for Intellectual Property and Innovation Ecosystems, Marco Alemán, and the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva. Also in attendance were Angélica Romero, Director General of Multilateral Economic Affairs of SUBREI of Chile; María Paula Arenas, Director of Foreign Investment and Services, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MINCIT) of Colombia; Anel Valencia, Deputy Director General of Support Services, Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) of Mexico; and Mauricio Osorio, Deputy Director of Patent Promotion of the Directorate of Inventions and New Technologies, National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) of Peru.

The project expects to count on the expertise of WIPO and the involvement of experts from PA countries to jointly develop materials and inputs that will enable SMEs to understand the importance of intellectual property and take advantage of its commercial value, incorporating educational materials, models and resources adapted for these purposes.

This cooperation between WIPO and the Pacific Alliance is the first cooperation activity between WIPO and the Alliance, and arises from a proposal submitted by Chile in 2019 during its pro tempore presidency.

December 13, 2021.- As part of the schedule of activities that has been jointly designed between the countries of the Pacific Alliance, during the pro tempore presidency of Colombia, the ambassadors of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru participated in the dialogue «China and the Pacific Alliance: Regional Cooperation for the Next Decade» of the Center for China and Globalization – CCG – , in order to present this regional integration mechanism in China, an observer country and strategic partner. Within this framework, the initiative, its objectives, its performance within the global economy, as well as its main achievements in its first decade of conformation and its strategic vision for the year 2030 were presented. In addition, the synergies between the countries of the bloc to continue consolidating their product offerings and the strengths of their economies to penetrate this market and jointly face common challenges were presented.

The Pacific Alliance is the eighth largest economic power and the eighth largest exporter in the world. The four countries have a population of 230 million people and offer competitive advantages for international business, with a clear orientation towards the Asia-Pacific region, with China as a priority market, with which, in recent years, thanks to the power of integration, there has been a steady and progressive growth in trade exchanges.

CCG is a Chinese non-governmental think tank with consultative status of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is among the top 50 independent think tanks in the world. It has more than 10 branches and more than 100 full-time researchers dedicated to the study of globalization, international relations, migration and trade, and international economics, among other topics.

The dialogue was broadcast on Chinese and international platforms and can be relived at the following links:

http://www.ccg.org.cn/archives/67057
https://youtu.be/bV1f1iEU_Ak

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

December 10, 2021.- The Pacific Alliance presented this Friday the Shared Virtual Training Portal, a space aimed at acquiring the necessary job skills for the tourism sector, digital and linguistic skills, as well as essential competencies for other areas, such as trade and marketing and entrepreneurship, in order to promote the reactivation of the region.

Adela Maestre, representing the pro tempore presidency of Colombia, emphasized the importance of strengthening tourism activity, given its sharp decline both in the PA countries and on a global scale as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the purposes of this new platform.

«It is achievements like these that give meaning to integration and allow our citizens to feel that the efforts made by governments translate into concrete benefits for them,» added Maestre.

The initiative was led by the Technical Labor Group (GTL) with the support of the European Union Program for Social Cohesion in Latin America – EUROsociAL.

Janet Ortega, GTL Coordinator, also stressed that, with this platform, «we want to promote the strengthening of the employability of the region’s workers and thus ensure that they are prepared to adapt to a changing labor market, favoring, when necessary, their labor mobility and with it, their social welfare».

To learn more about the platform just click here: https://capacitacion.alianzapacifico.net/

December 9, 2021.- The Embassies of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru in the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with the School of Public Policy and Management of the Korea Development Institute (KDI), held an Academic Forum on December 9 in Sejong City, headquarters of the Korean Public Administration, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Pacific Alliance (PA).

Under the coordination of the Embassy of Colombia, in its capacity as pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance, the Academic Forum 2021 was attended by Dr. Chun Yoon-jong, Vice Minister of Trade and Negotiations of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy of the Republic of Korea, who formally opened the Forum in the company of the Rector of the KDI School of Public Policy, Dr. You Jong-il, and the heads of the Embassies of the Pacific Alliance in Korea.

During his inaugural message, Vice Minister Chun highlighted his country’s strong coincidence with the integration objectives of the Pacific Alliance, in addition to expressing the Korean government’s deep interest in continuing to deepen its partnership with the member countries, in its capacity as an Observer State and an aspiring PA Associate State. The Vice Minister also emphasized the strategic nature of the PA for Korea, since, at the close of 2020, trade with the four countries accounted for 60% of its total trade in Latin America. Korea joined the PA as an Observer State in 2013.

In their speech, the Ambassadors of Colombia, Mexico and Peru, and the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of Chile, presented a detailed balance of the main achievements of the PA in its first 10 years, with emphasis on the actions implemented to fulfill the Strategic Vision 2030, which will deepen its level of integration to promote the development of its members.

Formally established in April 2011, the Pacific Alliance is a regional integration mechanism that brings together Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, with the purpose of promoting greater growth, development and competitiveness of the economies and advancing the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

November 29, 2021.- With the slogan «Economic and sustainable reactivation of the region: contributions of international cooperation», the III Cooperation Forum of the Pacific Alliance was held on Monday, a space for dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experiences with the Observer States of the bloc, other regional blocs and allies such as the Inter-American Development Bank, with the purpose of promoting and stimulating cooperation in the context of the post-pandemic.

The forum, which was held virtually, had the opening words of the Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs, María Carmelina Londoño, as representative of the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance, who emphasized the priority that economic reactivation means for the PA countries and the fundamental role of international cooperation in fulfilling this purpose. «International cooperation is one of the fundamental pillars of the PA and contributes significantly to the achievement of a more global Alliance,» said the Vice Minister.

During the Forum, five dialogue tables were held on the topics of gender and women’s economic empowerment; environment and sustainability; creative industries; economic recovery with emphasis on the tourism sector; and disaster risk reduction. The dialogue tables served as a space for the technical bodies of the Pacific Alliance and experts from the Observer States to exchange views and share experiences that can contribute to the resolution of a regional need identified in each of the tables.

«We are sure that this space will be conducive to generate exchanges of experiences and good practices, for the benefit of our countries and at the same time, explore the possibility of sharing our experiences as a bloc and promote relevant issues by deepening cooperation relations with allies and partners with whom we meet today,» concluded Vice Minister Londoño.

Also speaking at the opening of the III Cooperation Forum were the Deputy Minister of International Trade of Canada, John Hannaford; the Executive Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, Javier Niño; the Deputy Director General for the Americas of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ambassador Yurii Diudin, and the Director of Supply of the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation of Colombia (APC Colombia), Catalina Quintero. The closing and conclusions were in charge of the Director of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Álvaro Calderón Ponce de León.

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

November 24, 2021.- In order to continue strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Pacific Alliance (PA), the annual meeting between the Permanent Representatives Committee and the National Coordinators of both regional blocs was held on Wednesday. At this meeting, the 2021-2025 Work Plan was adopted, which is focused on the following areas: economic cooperation; in education and culture; science, technology and innovation, as well as smart cities and connectivity; environment and sustainable development; and post-pandemic recovery.

«We are sure that it will contribute to the rapprochement between our regions, generating spaces for interaction and cooperation, exchange of experiences and best practices that will strengthen the capacities of our blocs and each of our countries,» said Luis Felipe Quintero, Colombia’s Chief Negotiator for the Pacific Alliance and National Coordinator (E).

Among the initiatives contemplated in terms of economic cooperation are the organization of investment and trade activities between member countries; the promotion of cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, e-commerce, cybersecurity and the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the economic empowerment of women and youth employability.

In the area of education and culture, both mechanisms agreed to promote cooperation and the exchange of experiences and knowledge in e-learning, technical and vocational education and training, people-to-people contact (mainly in relation to the revival of sustainable tourism) and cultural exchanges.

In relation to science, technology and innovation, they will also work on the exchange of experiences and best practices in digital economy material such as the PA Regional Digital Market Roadmap and the ASEAN Digital Masterplan, the promotion of women’s participation in these areas, as well as the exploration of opportunities in connectivity and smart cities.

On a joint work on environment, issues such as the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, plastic waste management, the fight against deforestation, the promotion of circular economy, among others, are part of the Work Plan. «Environmental transformation is one of the issues that will not only protect our planet, but also stimulate our economies and promote their growth,» added Luis Felipe Quintero.

Faced with the post-pandemic recovery, there are two main bets: a recovery with a gender focus and the promotion of the exchange of information on prevention and response measures to COVID-19.

«In these challenging times, the Pacific Alliance and ASEAN need each other to fight the pandemic, boost trade and the economy, address climate change, and reinforce our common goals on issues such as digital transformation and gender equity,» concluded Luis Felipe Quintero.

Read the 2021-2025 Work Plan in English here.

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

November 16, 2021 – After two years of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific Alliance meets again in a face-to-face event. This time, to hold the meeting of the High Level Group, formed by the Vice Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the bloc.

The meeting was held at the Cerro Castillo Presidential Palace, located in the city of Viña del Mar, and was attended by Carolina Valdivia, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, and Rodrigo Yáñez, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, representing Chile; for Colombia, María Carmelina Londoño, Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs, and Andrés Cárdenas Muñoz, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade (as representatives of the pro tempore presidency); for Mexico, Luz María de la Mora, Undersecretary of Foreign Trade; and for Peru, Luis Enrique Chávez, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Diego Llosa, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade. Gerardo Serrano, Director for Regional Integration in Latin America and the Caribbean of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also participated.

During the meeting, which lasted more than six hours, the authorities received reports on the Roadmaps for Autonomy and Economic Empowerment of Women, Improvement of Management, Implementation of the PA-Net, Regional Digital Market and Sustainable Management of Plastics. They also discussed relations with strategic partners, the status of negotiations with Candidates for Associated States and preparations for the XVI Pacific Alliance Summit to be held in Colombia.

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

November 16, 2021.- Within the framework of the Meeting of the High Level Group of the Pacific Alliance (PA), which was held in person in Viña del Mar (Chile), the Public-Private Dialogue: Principles of Good Practices in International Regulatory Cooperation was held, with the participation of the four vice ministers of Foreign Trade of the bloc and representatives of the private sector.

The Dialogue began with the launch of the publication «International Regulatory Cooperation» of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), presented by Nick Malyshev, head of the OECD’s Regulatory Policy Division, who also participated in the Dialogue.

The PA authorities Rodrigo Yánez, Undersecretary of International Economic Relations of Chile; Andrés Cárdenas Muñoz, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade of Colombia; Luz María de la Mora, Undersecretary of Foreign Trade of Mexico; and Diego Llosa, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade of Peru, highlighted the importance of sharing with the private sector the actions taken by the Pacific Alliance in regulatory matters as a tool to facilitate intra-PA trade and also to have the support of an entity such as the OECD to monitor the implementation of the regulatory annexes negotiated by the bloc.

The private sector was represented by Manuel José Prieto of the Federation of Chilean Industry (Sofofa) and Paolo Mazza Forno, president of the Chilean Sanitation and Disinfection Association (Asociación Gremial de Aseo y Desinfección de Chile). Industry representatives from the PA countries were also present virtually.

In his speech, Andrés Cárdenas Muñoz, representing the pro tempore presidency of the bloc, pointed out that the harmonization of technical requirements brings enormous benefits for the entrepreneurs of the four countries, such as lower production costs; a predictable commercial environment through clear provisions; safe, high-quality products; increased competitiveness; and closer ties and greater coordination between the authorities of the Alliance countries.

Additionally, during the Dialogue the vice ministers also addressed new issues of e-commerce regulations, fintech, last mile and services regulation.

PACIFIC ALLIANCE PPT COMMUNICATIONS

Con una amplia trayectoria en el mundo de los negocios, Patricia Pérez, accionista y gerente general de Blunding, es una voz autorizada para hablar de la participación de las mujeres en el mundo de los negocios.

La empresa, que se dedica a la fabricación de órtesis, todos aquellos elementos que sirven para la rehabilitación, tal como botas inmovilizadoras, tobilleras, muñequeras, cabestrillos, entre otros. En los más de 30 años que ha dirigido la compañía ha aumentado su tamaño en más de 150 veces, y cuenta con presencia en 10 mercados de la región, entre ellos todos los de la AP.

Pérez no solamente cuenta con una trayectoria en su empresa, sino que también ha aportado a nivel gremial. Entre 2006 y 2008 fue presidenta de la Asociación de Exportadores de Manufacturas y Servicios de Chile (Asexma) -siendo la primera mujer en ocupar una posición como esa- y también ha participado como consejera de la Sociedad de Fomento Fabril (Sofofa) en Chile.

Pergaminos como estos la hicieron merecedora del reconocimiento a la “Exportadora del año AP”, teniendo una participación significativa en la última versión del Encuentro de Empresarias Líderes, realizado hace algunas semanas en Bogotá, Colombia.

Pudimos conversar con ella para conocer más de su compañía, el rol de la mujer en los negocios, y las proyecciones para las empresarias que quieran abordar nuevos negocios en los países de la Alianza del Pacífico:

¿Qué significan para Blunding S.A. los mercados de la Alianza del Pacífico?

¿Qué significa para ti ser reconocida como una líder en el marco de la AP?

¿Cómo ha sido el trabajo de las empresarias en el país?

Qué le recomendarías a las empresarias que están buscando opciones de negocios en los mercados de la AP?