"WEED Background" on the negotiations for an Association Agreement between the EU and Central America

Since the WTO Doha Round stalled in 2003, the European Union has increasingly sought to pursue its economic interests through bi-regional and bilateral negotiations. Guided by corporate interests, the EU is now forging free trade agreements that go far beyond the multilaterally agreed content of the WTO. The expected consequences for the affected population are usually dramatic. The example of Central America is no exception. Due to the weak economic and political position of the isthmus, even more far-reaching effects are to be expected.