The Andean Community was founded in 1969 and currently comprises 4 countries that straddle the Andes: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador & Peru. The European Union (EU) political dialogue with the Andean Community began in 1996 with the Declaration of Rome (1996) [19 KB] . Once ratified, this will be replaced by the  Political Dialogue & Cooperation Agreement of 2003, which will constitute the framework for our relations. Dialogue also takes place within the framework of institutional relations between the EU and the Rio Group.

Following the breakdown of negotiations in view of a fully fledged three pillar Association Agreement in the second half of 2008, a new negotiating format was put in place offering a thematic and geographical split of these negotiations: continued regional negotiations with the Andean Community as a whole on political dialogue and cooperation (an update of the 2003 Agreement referred to above) and 'multi-party' trade negotiations with as many Andean Community countries as willing to embark upon ambitious and comprehensive trade negotiations compatible with World Trade Organization. The latter started with three of the Andean Community countries (Peru, Colombia and Ecuador) in February 2009. The negotiations ended successfully in March 2010 with Peru and Colombia. Ecuador decided to suspend its participation in July 2009.

The last meeting of the EU-CAN Joint Committee [910 KB] was held on 5 March 2010.

In its Regional Strategy Paper 2007-2013 [402 KB] the EU earmarked € 50 million for the Andean Community. Three priority sectors were identified: Social Cohesion, Regional Economic Integration and Fight Against Illicit Drugs.