In June 2008, on the occasion of the 10th Tuxtla
Mechanism Summit, the Heads of State and Government agreed to initiate negotiations aimed at
achieving convergence in a single instrument for Free Trade Agreements between Mexico and Central
American countries.
On 26 March 2009, the Vice ministers of Foreign Trade of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico agreed on an action plan for the convergence of their free
trade agreements. Moreover, the Central American governments engaged to start negotiations
to create a single regional agreement with Mexico which would be ready by 2010.
The free trade agreements between Mexico and Central America are: 1) Mexico-Costa Rica
FTA, in force since 1 January 2005, 2) Mexico-Nicaragua FTA, in force since 1 July 1998,
and 3) Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, in force since 15 March 2001.
The first round of negotiations for the standardization and convergence of the existing free
trade agreements between Central American countries and Mexico took place in May 2010, in Mexico
City. The second round was held in August, in San Salvador City, El Salvador. The third round
took place on 27-30 September 2010, in Mexico City. The fourth round was held from 31 January
to 04 February 2011 in Guatemala, and the fifth round of negotiations took place in May 2011,
in Mexico City. The sixth round of negotiations was held in San Salvador City, El Salvador on
15-19 August 2011. The seventh round took place on 19-23 September and the next meeting is
scheduled to take place on September 27-28, in Antigua, Guatemala. On October 20th, 2011, the
participating countries concluded technical negotiations for the convergence of what will
eventually be the Single Free Trade Agreement between Central America and Mexico. The Single
FTA was signed on November 22nd, 2011.
| Documents relating to the negotiations |
| 22 November 2011 |
San Salvador, El Salvador. Central
American Countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua) and Mexico
sign FTA converging existing FTAs between the countries
 |
| 20 October 2011 |
San Salvador, El Salvador. Conclusion of technical
negotiations for the standardization and convergence of existing FTAs between Central American
Countries and Mexico
|
|
19-23 September 2011 |
Mexico. Seventh round of negotiations for the standardization
and convergence of the free trade agreements currently in force between Central American Countries
and Mexico
|
|
15-19 August 2011 |
San
Salvador, El Salvador. Sixth round of negotiations for the standardization and convergence of the
free trade agreements currently in force between Central American Countries and Mexico
|
| 29 May 2011 |
Mexico City, Mexico. Fifth round of negotiations for the
standardization and convergence of the free trade agreements currently in force between Central
American Countries and Mexico
|
| 31 January- 04 February 2011 |
Guatemala.
Fourth round of negotiations for the standardization and convergence of the free trade agreements
currently in force between Central American Countries and Mexico
|
| 27-30 September 2010 |
Mexico City, Mexico. Third round of negotiations for the
standardization and convergence of the free trade agreements currently in force between Central
American Countries and Mexico
|
| 09-11 August 2010 |
San Salvador, El Salvador. Second round of negotiations
for the standardization and convergence of the free trade agreements currently in force between
Central American Countries and Mexico
|
| 17-20 November 2009 |
Meeting aimed at advancing on the negotiating process for
achieving convergence of the FTAs between Mexico and Central American Countries
|
| 26 March 2009 |
Mexico and Central American Countries look for convergence
and harmonization of the free trade agreements
|
| 28 June 2008 |
Declaration of Villahermosa
 |
| Source:
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (COMEX); Presidencia de la República, México;
Secretaría de Economía de México |
|
