Lima, August 1st, 2017.- From today until August 3rd, a meeting of the technical subgroup of Regulatory Cooperation -Technical Barriers to Pacific Alliance Trade- is held in Lima, Peru.

Its purpose is to move towards the conclusion of the Annex on Regulatory Harmonization for Pharmaceutical Products, and to identify spaces for cooperation as a bloc on these subjects. The work agenda includes bioequivalence, labeling, cooperation and confidentiality, but other issues of interest will also be discussed.

It should be noted that the subgroup is working on an Annex for Pharmaceutical Products (negotiated under the Technical Barriers to Pacific Alliance Trade chapter), and that once it is in operation, it will maintain all procedures related to register and commercialization of medicines.

This is a fundamental aspect of the deep integration process of the Pacific Alliance, a mechanism committed to trade facilitation, the progressive reduction of non-tariff measures, and the revitalization of regional trade.

These works mean better access to quality, safeness, and effective medicines for all citizens.

DECLARATION OF CALI

The presidents of the Republic of Chile, Michelle Bachelet Jeria; of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón; of the United States of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto; and of the Republic of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard, reunited in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, on June 30th, 2017, at the XII Summit of the Pacific Alliance.

WE DECLARE:

1.- Our commitment to the Pacific Alliance as a process that promotes deep regional integration through the free movement of people, goods, services and capital, to strengthen growth and sustainable development aimed at improving the living standards of our inhabitants and thus facing regional and global challenges.

2.- Our satisfaction with the first year of entry into force of our free trade area through the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Framework Agreement, as well as with the significant advances in regional integration after six years of existence of the Pacific Alliance.

3.- We welcome the announcement of the kick off of negotiations to grant Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore the status of Pacific Alliance Associate State by concluding and implementing agreements with high standards of quality in trade disciplines. In this way, we are making progress towards achieving the founding objectives of the Pacific Alliance to promote a strategic integration scheme, which will boost the economic development and competitiveness of our economies. In the case of Mexico and Canada, these negotiations will be without prejudice to the validity and functioning of NAFTA, to which both countries are parties.

4.- Our commitment to free trade, regional integration and the strengthening of the multilateral trading system as means to promote competitiveness and development of our economies.

5.- Our conviction to continue promoting a green growth strategy as a way to face the challenges of climate change, which affect the region especially; reaffirm the declaration we endorse at COP 20 / CMP 10 in Lima in December 2014, as well as our endorsement of the Paris Agreement of December 2015, and we will intensify the efforts of our countries in the measurement, reporting and verification of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions with a view to identifying possible voluntary market mechanisms between the region.

6.- Our willingness to intensify efforts to incorporate the gender perspective in a transversal way in the programs and activities of the Pacific Alliance, recognizing the important role of women, including businesswomen and entrepreneur women in the growth and development of our countries, as well as for compliance with 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

7.- We recognize and welcome the progress made by the Ministers of Finance in implementing their work agenda, which is set out in Annex 2, that seeks to promote integration in order to foster solid, stable and inclusive growth. Thus, we highlight the agreement to establish a debt fund that facilitates the financing of infrastructure projects and we value the decision to sign a multilateral agreement that approves the tax treatment of the income obtained by the pension funds recognized in our countries.

8.- Our recognition for the following achievements in the last year:

• The interoperability of the Single Window for Foreign Trade, the electronic exchange of phytosanitary certificates, the homologation of certificates of digital origin, the methodology for reducing the time of goods clearance and the implementation of the action plan for the mutual recognition of authorized economic operators, for the facilitation of trade in the region.
• The conclusion of the negotiation of the Annex on Food Supplements, which will remove unnecessary obstacles to trade, with a view to facilitating and increasing trade in these products in the region.
• The launch of the regional digital agenda and the roadmap that outlines a way to improve the competitiveness of our countries through ICTs and the promotion of the digital economy as sources of growth and economic development.
• The consolidation of the Platform for Student and Academic Mobility, which in its 9th call, held in 2017, granted 400 scholarships, using for the first time the Single Application Platform, reaching a total of 1,440 scholarships; as well as the creation of information gathering tools to foster progress in the recognition of degrees and national qualifications frameworks.
• The creation of the Network of Innovation Agencies (InnovAP), the adoption of operating protocols for the Pacific Alliance Business Accelerators (Red AcelerAP) and the Network of Angel Investors (Ángeles AP), as well as the first version of the Pacific Alliance Innovation Awards, to promote the internationalization of innovation and entrepreneurship.
• The implementation of the Entrepreneurial Capital Fund with the collaboration of IDB-MIF, the completion of the memorandum of understanding for collaboration between Business Development Centers, the identification of mechanisms to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participation as suppliers in the public procurement processes of the member States, and the holding of the First SME Encounter to promote its export development.
• The implementation of the Agreement on the Accelerated Patent Procedure, which streamlines administrative procedures and reduces the costs for obtaining them in the four member States.
• The creation of the Pacific Alliance Investment Facilitation Initiative (IFIAP).
• The creation of the Vacation and Work Program Guide, the Consular Cooperation Guide and the Pacific Alliance Traveler’s Guide, which facilitates the informed mobility of the citizens of the four countries and tourists.
• The actions carried out in favor of the diversification of the supply of aquaculture and fishery products, as well as the identification of the exportable offer of the four member countries to promote their international commercialization.

9.-  Our satisfaction with more than 40 activities by the Pacific Alliance Technical Groups and Subgroups and more than 70 promotional activities led by our diplomatic representatives and promotion agencies, which reaffirm the complementarity and commitment of the Member States in deepening the four pillars of integration.

10.- Our approval for the incorporation of Croatia, Slovenia and Lithuania as Pacific Alliance Observer States, at the XVII Meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on June 2, 2017 in Mexico City.

11.- Our appreciation to the 52 Pacific Alliance Observer States that participated in the Meeting with the Council of Ministers on June 29, 2017. Likewise, we highlight the work done with the observers that during the last year have promoted activities and cooperation projects in areas defined as priorities by the Pacific Alliance, such as trade facilitation, SME internationalization, science technology and innovation, people movement and education.

12.- Our firm intention to strengthen integration in Latin America, for which we welcome the holding of the second Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers responsible for Foreign Trade of Mercosur and of the Pacific Alliance, in which a roadmap was adopted for the development of future works between the two mechanisms.

13.- Our satisfaction with the strengthening of the space for cooperation in areas of common interest and rapprochement with Asia-Pacific, through the holding in November 2016 of the Second Dialogue between the Presidents of the Pacific Alliance and the Leaders of the Economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Third Ministerial Meeting between our mechanism and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in September 2016 which adopted a Framework for Cooperation.

14.- We thank the Pacific Alliance Business Council (CEAP) for its contribution to the integration process through its various proposals and recommendations to governments on issues such as trade facilitation and investment, regulatory cooperation, innovation, finance, entrepreneurship, development of new technologies, SMEs and education.

15.- Our recognition of the support and cooperation provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) of great importance to advance deep integration initiatives.

16.- We are grateful to the Republic of Chile for the work carried out in its capacity as Pro Tempore Presidency of the Pacific Alliance in the last year and our support to the Republic of Colombia in the exercise of this responsibility that it assumes today.

17.- We thank the authorities and inhabitants of Santiago de Cali and Valle del Cauca, for the kind reception that contributed to the XII Summit of the Pacific Alliance and associated meetings.

Santiago de Cali, Colombia, June 30, 2017

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE

Michelle Bachelet Jeria President

FOR THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES

Enrique Peña Nieto President

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón President

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF PERU

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard President

 

The business roundtable is part of the activities of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs Forum

34 women exporters and 28 buyers that includes invitees from Canada, United States, Taiwan, Panama and Germany participate.

The Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board – PROMPERÚ informed that as part of the Pacific Alliance Leading Women Entrepreneurs Forum, a business roundtable between 34 women-led exporting companies and 28 buyers will take place for the first time on the 29^th of November.

This forum is organized by the governments of the countries of the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) through their promotion agencies (ProChile, ProColombia, ProMéxico and PROMPERÚ) to strengthen capabilities and foster women’s empowerment and financial independence.

From the total of exporting companies that will take part in this roundtable, the majority come from Peru (15), followed by Mexico (8), Chile (7) and Colombia (4). Buyers come mainly from Chile (12), followed by Colombia, Peru and Mexico, in addition to invited importers from Canada, United States, Taiwan, Panama and Germany.

For this roundtable, more than 200 business encounters are expected with deals from different sectors: fresh, processed, organic and gourmet foods; babies and children clothing; cotton garments; costume jewelry, jewelry and gift and decorative items.

Standing out among the Peruvian products that will be offered are the maca (Peruvian ginseng), quinoa, chia, beverages prepared from superfoods, Andean grains, organic chocolate, berries, mango, coffee, and craftwork.

Products from the rest of the countries of the Pacific Alliance will include swimwear, underwear, coffee, avocado and its derivatives, chia oil, craftwork, spicy sauces, limes, dry fruit and mango.

It is worth mentioning that the forum will hold five workshops for women entrepreneurs on topics related to women’s leadership, entrepreneurship and others.

One of these workshops will be led by the Pacific Alliance Technical Group on Gender, providing information on how gender issues are being approached by the Alliance, among other subjects.

The Pacific Alliance Leading Women Entrepreneurs Forum is scheduled for 28-29 November and includes panels and workshops featuring prominent authorities, specialists, women entrepreneurs and representatives of the academic world from the member countries of the bloc.

Download HERE the Official Program for the second Pacific Alliance Leading Women Entrepreneurs Forum.

Lima, November 28, 2016.

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The ambassadors of the four countries of the Pacific Alliance: Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, and the commercial counselors from their promotion agencies made a joint statement highlighting the potential of this integration bloc to foster the trade in services with Australia. This took place during the promotion seminar BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIA AND THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE that was held on October 20 in Sydney, Australia, with the participation of business representatives from different sectors, entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, government representatives and academics.

Paula Moreno, Commercial Director for ProChile in Australia, made an introductory presentation about the Pacific Alliance as part of her welcoming the attendants, on behalf of Chile’s pro tempore presidency.

Mr. Grame Barty, Executive Director of International Operations for the Australian promotion agency Austrade, also welcomed the participants, noting the relevance of the Pacific Alliance for doing business with Australian companies, encouraging them to diversify their trade with this growing region and to consider a greater rapprochement in order to explore new business possibilities with the member countries.

Augusto Castellanos, commercial counselor for ProColombia, Esaú Garza, commercial counselor for ProMéxico and Ricardo Salamanca, counselor from PromPerú, along with Ms. Moreno, also spoke about the business opportunities and complementarities that each of the member countries offers to Australian exporters.

The importance and the impact of the Pacific Alliance were addressed by a panel formed by HE Daniel Carvallo, ambassador of Chile, HE Clemencia Forero-Ucrós, ambassador of Colombia, HE Armando Álvarez, ambassador of Mexico, and HE Miguel Palomino de la Gala, ambassador of Peru. The panel was moderated by Ms. Rhonda Piggott, Director of the New South Wales State Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade –DFAT. The main advances and goals of the Pacific Alliance were pointed out during this exchange of ideas, those being, in a nutshell, to reach the development and competitiveness of the member States in order to achieve a greater wellbeing, overcome socioeconomic inequality, promote social inclusion among their inhabitants and become a platform of projection to the world, with a special emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region, through the free flow of goods and people.

Important details for the Australian industry were also highlighted, such as the completion of the agreement between the four countries of the PA for the total trade of goods, the joint opening of consular and trading offices and the consolidation of the mechanism as the most dynamic bloc of countries in Latin America.

Later on, Ms. Loreto Leyton, Executive Director for the Chile-Pacific Foundation, spoke about the most important aspects of the Pacific region.

Lastly, Director Piggot summarized the high points of the event, reiterating the enormous potential that the Pacific Alliance represents for the expansion of business and trade between Australia and the Alliance’s member countries.

There will be an ongoing work to analyze business opportunities with the Pacific Alliance with the more than 70 people who attended the seminar, which concluded with a reception providing a space for exchange and reach out between the participants and the speakers.

Alianza del Pacífico (octubre 14/16). After finishing a round of meetings of more than 10 technical groups of the Pacific Alliance (PA) that took place this week in the city of Santiago, today gathered the High Level Group, formed by the vice-ministers of Commerce and Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Mexico and Peru, and the general director of International Economic Affairs of the Foreign Office, Andrés Rebolledo, who led the meeting on behalf of Chile’s pro tempore presidency of the PA.

“This is the first meeting of vice-ministers after the Puerto Varas Summit. We were greatly impressed by the advances reported by each of the technical groups involving the presidential mandates set forth last July. After listening to their reports, we established an action plan for the next High Level Group meeting in Colombia by the end of this year in order to continue strengthening our integration mechanism”, said Andrés Rebolledo.

It is also worth mentioning the progress made on the coordination with the four countries’ business sectors, which is why the HLG received today representatives from the PA Business Council and the Swiss company Nestlé, along with the ambassador of Switzerland in Chile, all of which participate in developing an important cooperation program to foster youth employability within the member countries.

Another topic of relevance is the current work being done to close ties between the Pacific Alliance and ASEAN, where the agreement made between both integration blocs last September in New York as part of the UN General Assembly, is paramount.

Significant progress

Part of the review of the work of the technical groups performed by the vice-ministers of the HLG includes the level of progress on Regulatory Cooperation for pharmaceuticals and food supplements. This time the Regulatory Cooperation Group also met with representatives from the private sector of those sectors from the four countries that took part in the “Adjoining Room” (Cuarto Adjunto) exercise.

One of the groups that reported important progress is the People Mobility Group, who noted the definitive start of the exemption for visas to permanent residents of third markets when visiting member countries of the Pacific Alliance; the consulates cooperation project; and the agreements of the Vacation & Work program.

In the Chilean city of Puerto Varas, Los Lagos Region, the XI Summit of the Pacific Alliance (PA), which was attended by the Presidents of Chile, Michelle Bachelet; of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos; of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto; and of Peru, Ollanta Humal, came to an end today.

They were accompanied by the President-elect of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade as well as by senior government representatives from the four countries.

At the plenary meeting, the Presidents highlighted the achievements of the PA over the past year, including the entry into force of the Framework Agreement of the Alliance on July 20, 2015 and its Trade Protocol, on May 1, 2016. They also emphasized the increase in the number of observer states from 32 to 49, the advances in the preliminary framework for negotiations with ASEAN, the holding of an informal dialogue with APEC and the signing of a partnership agreement with Canada last June.

The foreign ministers signed the “Interinstitutional Agreement on the Implementation of a Mechanism of Consultation of Information for Immigration Purposes to Facilitate the Mobility of People” and its annex, the “Platform for Immediate Consultation of Information for Immigration Purposes to Facilitate the Mobility of People”. Likewise, the Ministers of Foreign Trade signed the “Second Protocol of Amendment to the Additional Protocol of the Framework Agreement of the Pacific Alliance”.

The presidential meeting concluded with the signing by the four Presidents of the Declaration of Puerto Varas, in which the pro tempore Presidency held by Peru for one year was officially handed over to Chile.

You can access the Declaration of Puerto Varas at: http://bit.ly/298yTMA

Puerto Varas, July 1, 2016

 

The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, and the presidents of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos; of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto; and of Peru, Ollanta Humala, today brought to a close the Third Business Summit of the Pacific Alliance (PA), “Vision into the Future” in Frutillar, Los Lagos region, Chile.

In her introductory remarks, President Bachelet stressed the importance of strengthening innovation in the PA and the role that investment in young people’s education should have, in order to meet this challenge. In this regard she mentioned that Chile has developed policies to achieve a productive transformation.

For his part, President Santos highlighted the importance of the creation of the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA) as part of the efforts to broaden and deepen capital markets among the four countries. In that regard, he underlined the fact that, for the PA, to boost its digital integration is today a necessity.

In his speech, President Peña Nieto mentioned the priority that must be given to trade integration. He noted that it is necessary to publicize the value of this regional integration initiative, which to date has attracted the attention of 49 observer countries, as well as provided benefits for the people.

Meanwhile, President Humala emphasized the need to invest in education, noting that Peru has been promoting a firm policy to achieve a high-quality school education. He also indicated that education is a key point in the cooperation program of the Pacific Alliance.

Finally, the Presidents agreed that the creation of the Venture Capital Fund and the progress toward the internationalization of SMEs, will allow a better projection of the PA to other regions. Similarly, they stressed that the PA is one of the most attention-grabbing business initiatives in the world.

Business summit development

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile and the President of the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance (CEAP), Chilean chapter, conducted the opening of the event.

Later, the Foreign Minister of Chile, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, the Secretary of Economy of Mexico, and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru participated in the first panel of the morning.

Throughout the day, interventions by the Presidents of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, and of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, as well as by the President-elect of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski were made. Similarly, the ministers of finance of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru participated in a panel on financial integration and its challenges.

In the afternoon, participants were able to attend four panels that were held in parallel on the business opportunities for SMEs, entrepreneurship and innovation, trade facilitation and financial integration.

The III Business Summit of the Pacific Alliance (PA) attracted over 700 attendees, including top executives of companies and SMEs, and took place days after the IV Business Matchmaking event held in Santiago, which generated nearly USD 200 million in business prospects.

Frutillar, June 30, 2016

The vice-ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the member countries of the Pacific Alliance (PA), began today, at Hotel Patagonico in Puerto Varas, Chile, the XXXVI meeting of the High Level Group (GAN) of the integration body.

During this event, government officials fine-tuned details of the XI Summit of the Pacific Alliance, which will take place in that city of Los Lagos Region, on Friday, July 1.

This was essentially a working session aimed at reviewing details of the important events that will take place during this week: the meeting of the PA Council of Ministers, the meeting with the Observer States and the Summit of Heads of State of the Pacific Alliance.

Furthermore, the vice-ministers reviewed the schedule of activities to be carried out during the pro tempore Presidency of the Pacific Alliance that Peru will hand over to Chile after the XI PA Summit, which will include meetings with MERCOSUR, ASEAN and APEC; as well as the rotation of the coordination of the various technical working groups in the coming period.

International Press Center

At the same time, the authorities of the Pacific Alliance today visited the International Press Center that will operate during the entire Summit at Hotel Bellavista, which will have the capacity to accommodate some 200 local and international media professionals accredited to cover the XI Summit of the PA and its related meetings.

During this visit, it was announced that the four Heads of State of the member countries of the Pacific Alliance, the President of Argentina, the President of Costa Rica and the President-elect of Peru, over 40 ministers and vice-ministers, 280 representatives from observer countries, 715 business people and 170 journalists will be present at the Summit, which is a very important fact for the Pacific Alliance’s image.

The center, which will run from 10:00 to 19:00 hours, has Internet service through high-speed Wi-Fi and 120 workstations with Internet access and printers. The area will also have transmission and delivery of the official signal, spaces for interviews, documentation service with press releases and a rest area, and catering.

 

Puerto Varas, June 28, 2016

 

With the attendance of the presidents of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, the XI Summit of the Pacific Alliance will be held from June 28 to July 1, in the city of Puerto Varas, in southern Chile. The progress and prospects of this important integrative mechanism, as well as the challenges to promote the economic and social competitiveness of its member countries will be analyzed during this meeting, which will also be attended by delegates from the 49 observer countries.

Work will begin on June 28 with the meeting of the High Level Group (GAN), formed by the vice-ministers of Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs of the four countries. The GAN is responsible for overseeing the progress of the technical groups, evaluating areas of opportunity and preparing proposals for projection and outreach to other countries and international organizations.

The Ministerial Meeting of the Pacific Alliance with the Observer Countries will take place the following day, which will be the starting point for the new work plan with those states. This event will seek to channel the collaboration programs and activities of the Pacific Alliance’s future projection through four panels that will focus on priority areas such as SMEs, Education, Science, Technology and Innovation and Trade Facilitation.

On June 30 the Ministers of Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs will meet in order to make decisions regarding the development of the objectives and the specific actions provided in the Framework Agreement – the Alliance’s incorporation agreement – and in presidential statements.

 At the same time, the Business Summit of the Pacific Alliance will take place, in which more than five hundred business people from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru will participate, attended by the leaders of the four countries, the presidents of Argentina and Costa Rica and more than 20 representatives from the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance. At the meeting, the vision of economic and financial integration, as well as innovation and the entrepreneurial role in the leadership of the Pacific Alliance will be analyzed, among other topics.

 The main date will be July 1, when Heads of State Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and Ollanta Humala of Peru, will meet to set new mandates that will guide the future of the Alliance . On this date, Peru will hand over the pro tempore Presidency to Chile, which will be in charge of leading the implementation of the mandates.

 The accession of 49 Observer Countries with which substantial work plans are being developed under a new cooperation scheme is a reflection of the deep interest that exists around the world for this integration mechanism. The Summit will also be attended by representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Union (EU), and international organizations that have been supporting the Alliance’s integration projects.

Five years after its creation on April 28, 2011, the Pacific Alliance is a solid mechanism that as a whole is the world’s eighth-largest economy, formed by countries with an outstanding economic performance in the region.

 Its pillars are the free movement of goods, services, capital and people on a main axis of cooperation.