Welcome!

Francesca Mosca
Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Central America and Panama

My new post as Head of the Delegation for the European Commission in Central America and Panama, represents a challenge not only because it is the biggest Delegation in Latin America but also because for the quantity and quality of work involved for the next coming years.

Quantity because the planned projects in execution for the region amount to 203, which means a commitment of payments equivalent to € 218.7 millions for the year 2005 involving a lot of work for the Delegation’s staff in Managua, pioneer of the de-concentration process.

Importance because the European Union’s commitment with the Central American region is more than two decades old, primarily around the San Jose’s Dialogue. This forum contributed in a great measure to the conflict resolution, and the democratization in Central America. At present it aims complex and relevant objectives facing the UE’s future cooperation with region, such as promoting equitable and sustained social and economic development, intensify the fight against insecurity and criminality, support the consolidation and modernization of the Rule of Law and strengthen social policies.

The XXI San Jose’ Dialogue meeting took place in Luxemburg on May 26. Foreign Affairs Ministers of both regions confirmed in this opportunity that the celebration of an Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America, including a free trade zone, continues to be the common strategic objective.

The perspective of an agreement with these characteristics has given a new impulse to the consolidation process of the regional integration. In this sense a joint evaluation exercise of the Central American economic integration has started.

In this framework, three meetings have taken place, the first one in San Jose, (Costa Rica) on March 31 and April 1, the second one in Brussels (Belgium) on the 19 and 20 of July and the third one in San Salvador, (El Salvador) on the 7 and 8 of November. The general areas around which the evaluation phase deals with are the institutional framework of the economic integration, the Customs Union, the trade regulation framework and the reduction of the non tariff obstacles to the inter regional trade.

Concerning trade matters, an arduous work to reform the SPG has also been developed honoring the conditions requested by the OMC. The new SPG + applicable to the countries of the Central American region is already in force as from July the First, opening even more the European market to region exports. Around 7200 products will be exported duty free.

The European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Summit which took place in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2004, allowed us to jointly establish the priorities of our relations in the economic, political and cooperation fields. Multilateral issue, social cohesion and regional integration have become a major purpose in our daily duties.

All things considered, all of us working at Managua’s Delegation for Central America and Panama, expect to find a very hard and interesting work. We have the pleasure to provide you, in this Web page, with the relevant detailed and updated information.