Lima, April 16, 2018. The VIII Meeting of the Mechanism of Bilateral Consultations Peru - European Union, framework for high-level political dialogue in which the Parties address issues of mutual interest in the bilateral, regional and global fields took place today. The Peruvian delegation was chaired by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hugo De Zela; and the delegation of the European Union by Managing Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, Ambassador Edita Hrdá.

During the meeting, both delegations reviewed the results and progress of the sectoral dialogues that are part of the mechanism: Human rights; Fight against Drugs; Climate Change and Environment; Regional policy and Cross-border Integration, and SMEs together with innovation. The parties also announced the upcoming session of a sectorial dialogue on multilateral issues, coinciding with Peru's mandate as a Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council. In this framework, the European Union congratulated Peru for the Presidency of the Council in April 2018.

Peru mentioned the actions it has been taking to improve the quality of its public policies, mainly aimed at achieving accession to the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). For its part, the European Union confirmed its support to Peru in the process of rapprochement of the country to the organization, recognizing that it has demonstrated will, capacity and commitment in the implementation of the standards and recommendations of the OECD Public Governance Review.

With regard to the economic-commercial relationship, Peru and the European Union highlighted the positive impact of the Trade Agreement, five years after its entry in force. In this regard, they underlined the will of Peru and the European Union to continue working in a constructive way in the implementation of the Agreement.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the promotion of democracy and the fight against corruption, as fundamental principles to ensure good governance, highlighting the successful organization and the results achieved at the VIII Summit of the Americas (Lima, 13 - 14 April).

Peru thanked for the strong commitment of the European Union on cooperation in different strategic areas. In this sense, both delegations welcomed the recent signing of the Financing Agreement relative to "Sustainable Economic Development and Promotion of SMEs at Subnational Level", which will allow to boost productive and sustainable development of the regions.

In addition, Peru highlighted the importance of a need of continuing cooperation of the European Union to strengthen the achievements reached in terms of public governance and institutional strengthening, social inclusion, student mobility, innovation, among others; that will allow securing the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In particular, they expressed their satisfaction with the results obtained in the actions of the fight against drugs and the strengthening of alternative development programs, achievements that will be complemented with the application of the Financing Agreement "Support to the fight against illicit drug trafficking and organized crime", aimed at improving the interdiction capacities and the implementation of the national fight against drugs strategy.

In the same way, both delegations exchanged ideas on multilateral issues and recent political and economic developments in the region and the world, such as free trade, international security, the Pacific Alliance, the situation in Venezuela and the actions of the Lima Group; as well as developments in the European Union.

In conclusion Peru and the European Union agreed on the need to keep active bi-regional dialogue, for purpose of which they committed themselves to participate actively in the Foreign Ministers' Meeting.