In 1993 the European Union and Central America signed a Framework Cooperation Agreement. This agreement entered into force on 01 March 1999. At the May 2002 EU-Latin American Summit the EU and six Central American countries -- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama -- agreed to negotiate a new Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed on 15 December 2003 in Rome.

The EU and Central American countries reiterated their goal of concluding an Association Agreement including a free trade area, in the EU-Latin America Summit in May 2004 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and in May 2005 at the EU-Central America Ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, at which Ministers welcomed the launching of a joint assessment exercise on regional economic integration and the setting up of an ad hoc joint working group in January 2005. The goal of concluding a comprehensive Association Agreement was reaffirmed at the EU-Central America summit held in Vienna, Austria in May 2006. The negotiations for the Association Agreement were launched on 28 June 2007 in Brussels. The first round took place in San Jose, Costa Rica on 22-26 October 2007. On 25-29 February 2008, Central America and the EU concluded the second round of negotiations in Brussels, Belgium. The third round of negotiations took place in El Salvador on 14 April 2008. The fourth round was held in Brussels on 14-18 July 2008. On 06-10 October 2008, countries concluded the fifth round of negotiations. The sixth round of negotiations took place in Brussels, Belgium on 26-30 January 2009.

On 06 April 2009, the EU issued a statement to inform about the temporary interruption of the negotiations for an Association Agreement between the EU and Central America. A few days later, on 24 April 2009, the EU and Central America agreed to re-initiate negotiations for an agreement.

Trade negotiators from Central American countries and the European Union met on 03 February 2010 in an informal three-day meeting in which they agreed to a work schedule with a view to finalizing an Association Agreement in May. The seventh round of negotiations was held in Brussels on 22-26 February 2010 with Panama as an Observer, officially announcing its intention to join the negotiations. A month later, trade negotiators held a new round of technical discussions in Brussels. The negotiations were concluded in May 2010, in the framework of the Latin America-Caribbean and European Union Summit in Madrid, Spain. Central America and the European Union discussed how to move forward with the agreement during the XVI Meeting of the Joint Commission that took place on 08 February 2011 in Brussels. On 22 March 2011, Central America and the European Union initialed the agreement after its legal review. On 25 October 2011, the European Commission reviewed and approved the agreement, fulfilling the first stage of the signature process. In the next stage, the Council of the European Union, in turn, will review the agreement and authorize its signature.

The European Union and Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) signed an association agreement on occasion of the Meeting of Presidents of the Central American Integration System, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 29 June 2012.

Documents relating to the negotiations
11 December 2012	European Parliament approves Central America-European Union Association Agreement
29 June 2012	Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The European Union and Central America sign association agreement
	Highlights of the Agreement between the European Union and Central America
25 October 2011	European Comission reviews and approves the Central America-EU Association Agreement
22 March 2011	Central America and EU initialed Association Agreement
08 February 2011	XVI Meeting of the Central America-EU Joint Commission
	Minutes of the XVI Central America-EU Joint Commission
18 May 2010	Central America and European Union concluded negotiations
10 May 2010	Progress in negotiations between Central America and European Union
05 May 2010	Guatemala, Guatemala City. Negotiations between Central America and European Union continue
28 April 2010	Brussels, Belgium. Eighth round of negotiations between Central America and European Union
22-26 March 2010	Brussels, Belgium. Trade negotiators held a new round of technical discussions
26 February 2010	Conclusion of the Economic Association Agreement expected in May 2010 at the EU-ALC Summit in Madrid
22-26 February 2010	Brussels, Belgium. Seventh round of negotiations of an association agreement Central America-EU
03 February 2010	The EU and Central America agreed on a work program  with the aim of finalizing an Association Agreement in May
24 April 2009	The EU and Central America agreed to re-initiate negotiations for an agreement
06 April 2009	Statement on the interruption of the negotiations for an Association Agreement between the EU and Central America
26-30 January 2009	Brussels, Belgium. Sixth round of negotiations of an association agreement Central America-EU
06-10 October 2008	Guatemala. Fifth round of negotiations of an association agreement Central America-EU
14-18 July 2008	Brussels, Belgium. Fourth round of negotiations of an association agreement Central America-EU
16 April 2008	El Salvador. Third round of negotiations of an association agreement Central America-EU
29 February 2008	Brussels, Belgium. Central America and the EU held second round of negotiations of an association agreement
	II round of negotiations: Presentations on sanitary and phitosanitary measures
		EC legislation on food additives
		EC legal instruments to ensure and to control the implementation of the EC legislation
		European Commission Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General Unit E3 - Chemicals, contaminants and pesticides
		The Food and Veterinary Office
		Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs
		Legislation on residues of pharmacologically active substances
		Status of Central American Customs Union in the area of sanitary and phitosanitary measures
	II round of negotiations: Presentations on technical barriers to trade
		The regulatory approach in the internal market
		Free Movement of Goods
		Functioning of Directive 98/34/EC
		The EU market surveillance framework
		Overview of the European institutional framework on standardisation
		The European standardisation. An important pillar for the quality infrastructure
26 October 2007	San Jose, Costa Rica. Central America and the EU held first round of negotiations of an association agreement
29 June 2007	Central America and the European Union start negotiations for new association agreement.
19 April 2007	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. San José Dialogue Ministerial Meeting Between the European Union Troika and the Ministers of the Countries of Central America. Joint communiqué
13 May 2006	II EU-Central America Summit Joint Communiqué
2 March 2006	Nicaragua. XIV Central America-EU Joint Commission meeting Act
26 May 2005	XXI San José Dialogue Ministerial meeting between the EU and Central America Joint Communiqué
19 January 2005	Act, XIII Central America-EU Joint Commission meeting
28 May 2004	Guadalajara Declaration
15 December 2003	Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement
03 October 2003	XII Central America-EU Joint Commission
22 February 1993	Framework Cooperation Agreement
Sources: European Union, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador, Ministerio de Comercio de Costa Rica (COMEX), Acuerdo de Asociación entre Centroamérica y la Unión Europea- Costa Rica.

The 1993 Framework Agreement established a Joint Committee and a Sub-Committee for Cooperation that meet regularly. In addition, an ad hoc Joint Working Group was established to conduct a joint assessment of regional economic integration.

Documents relating to the ad hoc working group
7-8 November 2005	San Salvador, El Salvador. III Meeting of the ad hoc Central America - EU working group
19-20 July 2005	Brussels, Belgium. II Meeting of the ad hoc Central America - EU working group
30 March-01 April 2005	San José, Costa Rica. I Meeting of the ad hoc Central America - EU working group
Source: European Union; Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador

Article 359 of the agreement provides for the accession of new members.

Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July 2013, and therefore, the parties of the agreement are currently negotiationg its accession to the Central America-EU Association Agreement.

Documents relating the accession of new members
13 May 2014	Croatia's accession to the Central America-EU Agreement advances
Source: Ministerio de Comercio de Costa Rica (COMEX)

On 21 May and 01 July 2013, Costa Rica’s National Assembly approved in first and second debates, respectively, the Central America-EU Association Agreement.

On 31 July 2013, the European Commission announced the provisional application of the EU Free Trade Agreement with Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama starting on 01 August 2013.

The Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union entered into force on 01 October 2013 for Costa Rica and El Salvador. Two months later, on 01 December 2013, the agreement entered into force for Guatemala.

Documents related to the entry into force
01 December 2013	EU-Central America Association Agreement enters into force for Guatemala
26 September 2013	EU-Central America Association Agreement to enter into force on 01 October 2013 for Costa Rica and El Salvador
01 August 2013	European Union Trade Agreement with Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama entered into force
01 July 2013	Costa Rica’s National Assembly approves -in second debate- the Central America-EU Association Agreement
21 May 2013	Costa Rica’s National Assembly approves -in first debate- the Central America-EU Association Agreement
Source: Ministerio de Comercio de Costa Rica (COMEX)

Article 4 of the Agreement establishes an Association Council to supervise the implementation of the Agreement. During the meeting of the Association Council held on June 14, 2018, the parties agreed on the accession of Croatia to the Central America-EU Association Agreement and achieved progress in negotiating issues of origin and amendments to the Harmonized System.

Documents relating to the Association Council
14 June 2018	Brussels, Belgium. Meeting of the Central America-EU Association Council
27 June 2014	San Pedro Sula, Honduras. First meeting of the Central America-EU Association Council
Source: Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Costa Rica (COMEX)

The Association Agreement establishes an Association Committee and the trade part of the Agreement foresees the creation of a number of sectoral subcommittees as well as a Board on Trade and Sustainable Development, which comprises high level authorities from within the administrations of each Party. In accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of the Association Agreement, the Association Committee met in Antigua, Guatemala on June 27, 2019. The Association Committee met again on November 26, 2020 virtually.

On June 29, 2023, the Association Committee of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (AACUE) met in San Salvador to analyze the application of the commercial pillar of said Agreement.

Documents relating to the Association Committee
29 June 2023	Meeting of the Association Committee of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (AACUE)
26 November 2020	Sixth Meeting of the Association Committee
27 June 2019	Antigua, Guatemala. Meeting of the Association Committee Joint Communiqué
21 June 2019	Market Access for Goods: Minutes
21 June 2019	Ad-Hoc Group on Public Procurement: Minutes
20 June 2019	Technical Barriers to Trade: Minutes
20 June 2019	Intellectual Property Rights: Minutes
18-19 June 2019	Customs, Trade Facilitation and Rules of Origin: Minutes
18-19 June 2019	Sanitary and Phitosanitary Measures: Minutes
Source: European Commission, Ministerio de Economía, Guatemala

The Board on Trade and Sustainable Development will meet within the first year after the date of entry into force of the Agreement, and thereafter as necessary, to oversee the implementation of Title VIII (Trade and Sustainable Development), including cooperative activities undertaken under Title VI (Economic and Trade Development) of Part III of the Agreement. The decisions and recommendations of the Board will be adopted by mutual agreement between the Parties and will be provided to the public, unless the Board decides otherwise.

The first meeting of the Board on Trade and Sustainable Development of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union was held in Managua, Nicaragua, from 18 to 19 November 2014.

Documents relating to the Board on Trade and Sustainable Development
24-25 June 2019	Antigua, Guatemala. Fifth meeting of the Board of Trade and Sustainable Development
18-19 November 2014	Managua, Nicaragua. First meeting of Board on Trade and Sustainable Development of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union
Sources: European Commission; Ministerio de Comercio de Costa Rica (COMEX)

• Council of the European Union
• European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade
• European Union (EU)
• Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Costa Rica (COMEX)
• Ministerio de Economia de El Salvador
• Ministerio de Comercio de Guatemala
• Ministerio de Economía, Guatemala
• Ministerio de Fomento, Industria y Comercio (MIFIC)
• Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador
• Acuerdo de Asociación entre Centroamérica y la Unión Europea, Costa Rica