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Andean CommunityThe Andean Community (in Spanish: Comunidad Andina, abbreviated CAN) is a trade bloc that comprises the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. This trade bloc was formerly called the Andean Pact and was started with signing of the Cartagena Agreement in 1969. The five countries together have 120 million inhabitants living in an area of 4,700,000 square kilometers, whose Gross Domestic Product in 2002 amounted to US$ 260 billion. The Andean Community is one of South America's two main trade blocs (the other one being Mercosur). Mercosur and the Andean Community began negotiations in 1999 towards a merger of the two groupings, with the potential of creating a South American Free Trade Area (SAFTA). On December 8, 2004 it was announced the merger would be called the South American Community of Nations, patterned after the European Union. History - The groundwork for the Community was established in 1969 in Cartagena Agreement.
- In 1979, the treaty creating the Court of Justice was signed and the Andean Parliament created and the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers were created.
- In 1983, the treaty creating the Court of Justice entered into effect.
- In 1991, the presidents approved the open skies policy and agree to intensify integration.
- In 1992, Peru temporarily suspended its obligations under the Liberalization Program.
- In 1993 the Free Trade Zone entered into full operation for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
- In 1994, the Common External Tariff was approved.
- In 1996, the Cartagena Agreement Commission approved the regulatory context for the establishment, operation, and exploitation of the "Simn Bolvar" Satellite System.
- In 1997, an agreement was reached for Peru's gradual incorporation into the Andean Free Trade Zone.
- In 1998, the Framework Agreement for the creation of a Free Trade Area between the Andean Community and the Mercosur was signed in Buenos Aires.
- In 2000, Meeting of the South American Presidents, at which the Andean Community Heads of State and Mercosur decide to launch negotiations for establishing a free trade area between the two blocs as rapidly as possible and by January 2002, at the latest.
- In August 2003, the Andean Community and Mercosur Foreign Ministers, during a meeting in Montevideo at which the CAN delivered a working proposal containing guidelines for the negotiation, reaffirmed their governments' political determination to move ahead with the negotiation of a free trade agreement between the two blocs.
See also: Central American Common Market, Free Trade Area of the Americas, Mercosur, Trade bloc External links
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