Discussions towards a free trade agreement between Mexico and the Central American countries began in January 1991, when the presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua and Mexico signed the Declaration of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, which provided a framework for trade relations between Central American countries and Mexico. At the second Tuxtla Gutierrez Summit, held in 1996, countries reaffirmed their commitment to the creation of a free trade zone and agreed to continue working on the bilateral or regional free trade negotiations.

At this second Tuxtla Summit, the presidents of Mexico and the three Northern Triangle countries -- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- pledged, within the Joint Declaration and Plan of Action, their intent to restart their free trade agreement negotiations. The Mexico-Northern Triangle free trade agreement was signed on 29 June 2000.

Documents relating to the negotiations
28 June 2000	Signing of the Mexico-Northern Triangle Free Trade Agreement
17 July 1998	Joint Declaration and Plan of Action of the third Tuxtla Gutiérrez Summit
16 February 1996	Joint Declaration and Plan of Action of the second Tuxtla Gutiérrez Summit
11 January 1991	Declaration of Tuxtla Gutiérrez
11 January 1991	Act of the Heads of State of the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United Mexican States
11 January 1991	Agreement of Tuxtla Gutierrez between the presidents of Central America and Mexico
Source: Presidencia de la República de México; Secretaría de Integración Económica Controamericana (SIECA)

The Mexico-Northern Triangle free trade agreement entered into force on 15 March 2001 between Mexico and El Salvador and Guatemala and on 01 June for Mexico and Honduras.

Documents relating to the entry into force
14 March 2001	Mexico. Decree promulgating the free trade agreement between the United Mexican States and the Republics of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
29 June 2000	Joint Declaration
Source: Secretaría de Economía de México; Secretaría de Integración Económica Controamericana (SIECA)

Article 18-01 of the Agreement establishes an Administrative Commission to oversee the implementation and operation of the Agreement.

On 15 January 1999 the parties signed an Agreement on the tariff acceleration for certain goods originating in each country to take effect 1 June 1999. This was passed in Costa Rica through decree 27931 H on 15 January 1999 and published in the official Gazette on 16 June 1999.

At the third meeting of the Administrative Commission, Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries agreed to renegotiate portions of the agreement to increase the scope of access.

Documents relating to the implementation of the agreement
31 October 2007	Fourth meeting of the FTA Administrative Commission
13 December 2005	Northern Triangle and Mexico advance in review of the Free Trade Agreement
15 August 2005	Third meeting of the Administrative Commission
12 August 2005	Decision 12 of the Administrative Commission
14 April 2005	Decision 11 on National Treatment and market access
13 April 2004	Resoultion modifying language on customs issues
14 March 2001	Resolution on customs issues
20 August 2001	Agreement on the regulation of the operation of the committee on regional integration on inputs of the Mexico-Northern Triangle FTA according to the Administrative Commission of that agreement
Source: Ministerio de Economía de El Salvador; Sistema Integral de Información de Comercio Exterior (SICEX), México

• Ministerio de Economía de El Salvador
• Presidencia de la República de México
• Secretaría de Economía de México
• Secretaría de Integración Económica Controamericana (SIECA)
• Sistema Integral de Información de Comercio Exterior (SICEX), México