Trade Agreement with European Union will exclude sensitive products

Francisco Rivadeneira, Minister of Commerce, said that the most sensitive products for Ecuador are excluded from the negotiations with the European Union (EU) trade agreement. Furthermore, moderately sensitive products would have protection mechanisms.

“Now we have to agree on some items, primarily in the dairy chain, which is always of great interest to the Europeans,” he said.

Agriculture and procurement are the most complex issues of the negotiation, according to chief negotiator Roberto Betancourt.

Among the sensitive products are meat, dairy, oilseeds, cereals, but basically the Ecuadorian bananas.

Next week in Belgium, a meeting with the objective of concluding the negotiations will take place, after the three rounds already done.