• Madrid Declaration (230K)
• Program
• List of participants
• Informative brochure (465K)

The Conference was also attended by a high level representation of the European Council, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the governments of the Mercosur countries, among others: José María Aznar, President of the Government of Spain (EU Presidency); Rolf Linkohr, President of the Delegation of the European Parliament for the Latin American Countries and the Mercosur; the Vice President of the European Commission, Loyola de Palacio; the European Commissioners Pascal Lamy (Trade), Erkki Liikanen (Enterprise), Chris Patten (External Relations) and Pedro Solbes (Economy); Didier Opertti, Minister of External Relations, Uruguay; Martín Redrado, Ambassador, General Secretary of Trade, International Economy Relations and Consular Affairs, Argentina; Jorge Hugo Herrera Vegas, Ambassador, Undersecretary of American Economic Integration and Mercosur, Argentina; Clodoaldo Hugueney, Ambassador, Undersecretary General, Integration, Economy and External Trade Affairs, Brazil; Oscar Cabello Sarubbi, Director General, Multilateral Policy, Paraguay, and the President of the CEOE, José María Cuevas.

The result of the MEBF III Plenary Conference is the document entitled Madrid Declaration, approved by the Mercosur and EU businesspersons attending the meeting, that includes 71 specific recommendations to the authorities and negotiators to enhance the trade and investment relations between the two blocks. In the Declaration, the Forum has underlined its support to the creation of a free trade area between the EU and the Mercosur without the exclusion of any sector, but it regrets that progress achieved until the moment is not fully satisfactory. The MEBF encourages the authorities of both blocks to accelerate their talks.

In the Conference, the discussion focused on three concrete areas: Market Access; Investment, Privatisation and Financial Services; and Services and Business Development.

In the area of Market Access, the MEBF has formulated 34 recommendations aimed to facilitate two-way access to all products in the frame of the multilateral WTO negotiations. Particularly, the Forum appreciates the efforts of both parties to present concrete tariff offers, and states a set of proposals regarding the tariff structure of the two blocks.

It also recommends the simplification and liberalisation of customs procedures for import and export operations, and asks for the simplification and reduction of the non-tariff trade taxes and the harmonisation of the customs valuation norms.

The Forum stresses the importance of the implementation of the WTO agreement on tariff barriers, as well as the harmonisation of the sanitary and phytosanitary norms.

Finally, it asks negotiators to pay special attention to the rules of origin and requests that the business facilitation measures recommended in the MEBF Buenos Aires Conference (December 2001) be implemented.

Regarding Investments, Privatisation and Financial Services, the MEBF points out the importance of the European investments in the Mercosur and estimates that there are still many opportunities, particularly for SMEs. The Forum considers that democracy, social cohesion, tax stability and sustained economical development are necessary conditions for the development of investments and bilateral trade. Therefore, the MEBF presents 19 recommendations to foster a friendly atmosphere to investments and liberalisation in both regions.

Among others, mention should be made of the inclusion of a chapter about investments in the Interregional Association Agreement; the promotion of the negotiation of an Investment Multilateral Agreement in the frame of the Doha Round; the simplification of taxes and the development of bilateral agreements on double taxation; the need to complete the processes of liberalisation and privatisation, as well as the simplification of the investment regulations and the elimination of the restrictions affecting certain sectors; the impulse of private investment in infrastructure projects in Mercosur; the removal of obstacles for the concession of residence and working permits to foreign corporate managers; the promotion of co-operation among both SME blocks and the launching of technical assistance programs for the development and strengthening of the Mercosur SMEs; and the facilitation of the access to government procurement for companies of the two areas.

Finally, in the area of Services and Business Development, the MEBF has identified the main problems limiting the bilateral relations, and has suggested 18 recommendations aimed to eliminate said restrictions and to foster the bilateral corporate relations.

Other points to be pointed out are the request for inclusion of a chapter on Services in the Interregional Association Agreement, without the exclusion of any sector; the development of transparent, non discriminatory, and harmonised regulatory frames; the adoption of a higher degree of commitment with the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) in the frame of the WTO; the implementation of international rules to protect copyrights; and the promotion of technology transfer.

The MEBF believes that the recommendations included in its Madrid Declaration may serve as an orientation of the interests and priorities of the private sector for the negotiators of both blocks, and at the same time, they will stimulate the Mercosur and EU companies to intensify their trade and investment links.

At the end of the Conference, an announcement was made of the succession of the MEBF co-chairmen by Guy Dollé, CEO of Arcelor (Luxembourg) and Luiz Fernando Furlan, President of Sadia Group (Brazil).