Ecuador retakes trade agreement with European Union

Ecuador formalized his intention to resume negotiations with the European Union (EU) in order to sign a Trade Agreement, and sent an official communication to the EU headquarters in Brussels and the representation of that block before the Andean countries in Bogotá and in the capital, said Francisco Rivadeneira, vice Minister of Foreign Trade.

Is expected in July to start the meetings with the representative of the EU and organize internal activities for the travel to Brussels.

The Minister of Production, Richard Espinosa, estimated that the deal could be signed in about a year.

About public procurement and services, the most critical of the 14 negotiating chapters, Rivadeneria said that they almost have a consensus on these points but did not elaborate.

Ecuador with Colombia and Peru began discussing the trade agreement in late January of 2009, but withdrew from the negotiations in June of the same year. Colombia and Peru concluded them.