Our World in 2018

EUROPE’S FUTURE
Reliable Partners
in a Changing
World Scenario
By Luis Videgaray Caso
In January 2013, Mexico and the European
Union (EU) decided to update the Economic
Partnership, Political Cooperation and
Cooperation Agreement (Global Agreement),
signed in 1997 and entered into force in 2000.
The geopolitical scenario had gone through
substantial changes since the signing of the
instrument.
Therefore, both Parties established that
the existing Agreement needed to adapt
to the new realities of the international
scenario, trade and investment, as well as
international cooperation.
Originally, Mexico and the EU decided to
explore possibilities for a comprehensive
GA
its trade pillar, given the changes the
international trading system had gone
through since the Agreement’s signing.
New rules had been implemented and new
disciplines, such as e-commerce, had been
introduced. Likewise, the EU had acquired
new competences on economic issues that
catalyzed new opportunities for both Parties.
Moreover, starting a revision process
provided possibilities for assessing, not
only the Global Agreement section, but the
bilateral relation as a whole, which by 2013
included the Strategic Partnership and its
E
to develop the partnership.
Thus, Mexico and the EU began to
perform a thorough evaluation of their
bilateral relation and its current tools, which
would be utilized to create a new, modern
instrument that could rule our relations for
Luis Videgaray
Caso
Luis Videgaray
Caso is the Foreign
Minister of Mexico.
He has a career
of more than 25
years in public
administration.
Among the various
positions he has
held, the following
stand out: adviser
to the Secretaries of
Energy and Finance
and Public Credit;
Director of Public
Finance at Protego,
SA; Secretary of
Finance of the
State of Mexico;
as well as Federal
Deputy in the LXI
Legislature, during
which he served
as Chairman of
the Budget and
Public Account
Committee.
The EU is an actor
suited for contributing
to Mexico’s internal
and external goals:
an ally in the defense
of the rule of law,
the consolidation of
democracy and the
protection of human
rights.
the next 20-25 years.
Mexico and the EU had experienced
radical transformations in recent years. As
a result, both Parties identified together
three new fundamental issues that needed
to be addressed during the revision of the
Agreement and the bilateral relation. First,
Mexico had strengthened its democracy and
in economic and social terms. Second,
European integration had progressed,
deepening the ties between member states,
increasing EU membership from 15 to 28 in
just a few years.
Third, the international scenario had
experienced both geopolitical alterations,
as well as the emergence of new actors.
Together, these factors increased the
international weight of Mexico and the EU,
making them important actors in the global
scenario and stronger partners for each
other.
Both Parties decided to base the
negotiations on goals of common
prosperity, the projection of Mexico and
the EU as strategic partners assuming
global responsibilities, and the promotion of
increasing economic and social exchanges
20 2018 | OUR WORLD