Santiago de Chile, Jul 22 (Prensa Latina) Chile today confirmed its interest in strengthening cooperation ties with the European Union (EU) concerning a meeting with representatives of the bloc in the capital.
During the Third Forum Chile-EU, opened by foreign minister, Heraldo Muñoz, the South American country highlighted progress in deepening an Association Agreement which already has 12 years of existence.

The head of the General Directorate of International Economic Relations (Direcon) of Chile, Andres Rebolledo, stressed that the bilateral arrangement is a comprehensive treaty that allowed intensify ties.

Today, we are engaged in a process of modernization and established working groups to analyze materials to deepen and develop. Therefore, we reiterate the commitment of Chile to achieve that goal, Rebolledo said.

The head of the Direcon recalled that the EU emerges as the second largest market for Chilean exports, excluding copper.

In the period 2003-2014, the average annual growth of trade between Chile and the European Union was nine percent, while exports increased on average by seven percent per year and imports grew by 11 percent.

"Climate change, global value chains and food safety, are part of the new concerns that we must also take into account," he said.

According to official statistics, in 2014, trade between Chile and the European bloc reached 21,317 billion dollars, translated into 10,913 billion in sales and 10,404 billion in purchases.

As for Chilean capital investments in the EU between 1990 and 2014, the South American nation reported 2,561 billion dollars, 68.1 percent of the industry sector, 31.7 percent in services and 0,2 percent in mining.

President of the Republic, Michelle Bachelet, will lead the closing ceremony of the Third Chile-EU Forum in a hotel in this capital.