The EC hopes to conclude the trade agreement with Mexico before October
The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, said today that the new text of the trade agreement between Mexico and the European Union (EU) "is in the process of being finalized" and that the European Commission "hopes that it can be concluded before end his term in October 2019. "
"Mexico is the twenty-first partner of agrifood imports of the EU and the twenty-fifth of agro-food exports," Hogan explained in the act of delivery to the European Commission of the certificate for the registration of the protected geographical indication of tequila to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs from Mexico, Julián Ventura.
Last April, the European Union (EU) modernized its agreement with Mexico, which was in force since 2000, which will eliminate tariff taxes on a large majority of the goods with which both blocks trade.
"Both parties want to continue working to improve the agreements that there are," Hogan said.
For his part, Ventura clarified that still "we must finalize the details of legal order and translations to different languages."
The Mexican politician thanked the European Commission for including tequila in its list of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), a recognition that, he said, is the result of a collaboration between Mexico and the EU that "has always been strong and that every time it's deeper. "
The European Commission announced at the end of February that the iconic Mexican tequila was already part of that list, considering that its qualities are deeply linked to its geographical origin in the central and western regions of the country.
According to Ventura, Mexico exported more than 224 million liters of tequila to more than 120 countries around the world in 2018.
"Tequila is an iconic drink, an emblematic product that is so important in the economic wellbeing of Mexico, the state of Jalisco and the federal government.Exports have been growing for nine years, in China they have increased 40% each year, and we are diversifying our markets, "Ventura added.
On the other hand, the president of the Tequila Regulatory Council, Rodolfo González, pointed out that "the EU is the second market to which Mexico's tequila exports are destined", and that this commercial relationship "does not stop growing".
He also said that from this moment "the geographical indication of tequila enjoys a protected status in Europe," which he considered a milestone "very important" in the field of intellectual property.
