On 29 June 2012, in Tegucigalpa, the European Union and the Central American states sign the Association Agreement — the instrument linking political dialogue, cooperation and a regional free-trade deal.

The agreement covers Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, with a trade pillar (tariffs, services, public procurement) and a political-cooperation pillar.

Negotiated after EU–LAC summits, it enters into force gradually as parties complete ratifications; the trade part was provisionally applied for some states.

It is one of the EU’s “bloc-to-bloc” association agreements with Latin America, alongside Chile, Mexico and later Mercosur (negotiated separately).

For EU–Central America relations, 29 June 2012 marks the formal signing of the association agreement.

The official text is on EUR-Lex / the EU Council.

The Central America–EU Association Agreement of 29 June 2012 remains the framework for political and trade relations between the two regions.

Image: EU / Central America; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Central America–European Union Association Agreement. Treaty text: EU–Central America Association Agreement (EUR-Lex).