PE245: 1992 FDC European Parliament "Speech by Pres. of Argentina Carlos MENEM" (Prestige Edition)

MEMO/94/27 1.Background With an area of 2.17 million km2, Argentina is similar in size to the European Community. It has a population of 32 million. In 1971, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to conclude a trade agreement with the Community. The agreement, intended initially to last for three years, was tacitly extended by both parties until 1980, when an Argentine military government decided against renewing it.Argentina's return to democracy, with the election in the autumn of 1983 of President Raul Alfonsin, led to the resumption of links between the Community and Argentina.After President Carlos Menem's Government came into office, negotiations began on an agreement for trade and economic cooperation between the European Community and Argentina. The new agreement was signed on 2 April 1990. Cooperation between the EU and Argentina is also developing at multilateral level within the framework of relations between the European Union and the Rio Group and Mercosur, Argentina being a member of both (see Notes MEMO 25 and 26).(source : https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/fr/MEMO_94_27)