TWENTY SECOND MEETING OF THE ANDEAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 22 JULY 2010 LIMA - PERU DECISION 741 Observers to the Andean Community THE ANDEAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HAVING SEEN: Articles 1, 3, 50, 51, 52, 136, and 137 of the Cartagena Agreement; Decision 458; Proposal 252/Rev.1 of the General Secretariat; and, WHEREAS: One of the objectives of the Cartagena Agreement is to facilitate the participation of Member States in the process of regional integration, aimed at the gradual formation of a Latin American common market;

One of the mechanisms set forth to achieve the objectives of the Cartagena Agreement is to strengthen integration with other economic blocs and relationships with extra-regional systems in the political, social, and economic-trade spheres; It is necessary to specify the formalities and conditions required to confer the status of Observer to third countries that are not Associate Members as well as to interested international organizations, so as to strengthen the relations of the Andean Community with other international community actors;

DECIDES: Article 1.- The State or international organization, whose objectives include the promotion of integration and cooperation, interested in obtaining the status of Observer, shall submit its request in writing to the General Secretariat of the Andean Community, which shall inform Country Members with the purpose of making the corresponding consultations.

The request shall state the interest in applying to the status of Observer. In case of consensus, the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs may confer through a Decision, on behalf of the Andean Community, the status of Observer to third countries which are not Associate Members as well as to interested international organizations that have expressed their interest in becoming Observers and share principles and objectives of integration.

The status of Observer shall not be understood as a prior step to conferring the status of Associate Member to the Andean Community or towards adhering to the Cartagena Agreement. Article 2.- The Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs may revoke the status of Observer, when it considers that the circumstances on which such status was granted have changed substantially or no longer exist.

Article 3.- Countries and/or international organizations with the status of Observers to the Andean Community, may be invited to participate with a right to speak but not to vote, in meetings that are not reserved, as determined by the President of the corresponding instance, in coordination with the other Country Member and in accordance with the conditions and scope established in the invitation.

Article 4.- The Community organs and institutions shall promote the initiation of joint programs and actions with the Observers, based on principles that foster greater dialog and cooperation with the third country or organization concerned. To this end, the Andean Community may enter into an agreement with such countries or international organizations to set out their scope and implementation.

Article 5.- The General Secretariat shall periodically reports, to the Andean Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the outcomes achieved through the actions agreed upon. Article 6.- This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Cartagena Agreement. Signed in the city of Lima, Peru, on this twenty-second day of July, 2010