Pacific Alliance

{{Supranational American Bodies|align=right|size=350px}}

The following countries are full members, in the process of becoming full members or observers.

On 28 April 2011, then president of Peru Alan García organized a meeting with the presidents of Chile, Colombia and Mexico at the time. This working group issued the Declaración de Lima, a statement of intent to establish the Pacific Alliance.{{cite web|title=Antecedentes|url=http://alianzapacifico.net/que_es_la_alianza/antecedentes/|publisher=Alianza del Pacífico|author=Alianza del Pacifico|language=es|quote=El 28 de abril de 2011, los Jefes de Estado de Chile, Colombia, México y Perú acordaron en la Declaración de Lima, establecer la Alianza del Pacífico con el objetivo de "avanzar progresivamente hacia la libre circulación de bienes, servicios, capitales y personas".|access-date=27 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610091223/http://alianzapacifico.net/que_es_la_alianza/antecedentes/|archive-date=10 June 2013|url-status=dead}} The initial goal of the alliance was to further free trade with "a clear orientation toward Asia" and regional economic integration.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/pacific-alliance-unites-mexico-colombia-peru-and-chile-economies-1st-step-dropping-visas/2012/06/06/gJQAe2vtJV_story.html |title=Pacific Alliance unites Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile economies; 1st step: dropping visas |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=31 July 2011 |access-date=2012-06-07}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Together, the four member states of the Pacific Alliance represent nearly 35 percent of Latin American GDP. If it were counted as a single country, the Pacific Alliance would have a nominal GDP of US$2.02 trillion (US$4.32 trillion at PPP GDP rates),{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2021/April/weo-report|title=World Economic Outlook Database, April 2021 |date=April 2021 |website=IMF.org |publisher=International Monetary Fund|access-date=16 August 2021}} making it the 9th (or 7th) largest economy in the world. According to the World Trade Organization, the countries of the Pacific Alliance together exported roughly US$680 billion in 2019, almost twice as much as Mercosur, the other predominant Latin American trade bloc.{{cite web|date=2019|title=Exports of goods and services (BoP, current US$)|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.GSR.GNFS.CD|access-date=2020-12-29|website=data.worldbank.org}} Individually and collectively, the core countries of the Pacific Alliance have been deemed "The Pacific Pumas" by political scientists, for their model of economic and political development.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}

At the VII Pacific Alliance Summit in Cali, Colombia, on 22 May 2013, Costa Rica signed a trade agreement with Colombia, and later in the summit received approval for full membership from all the founding members.https://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/colombias-president-santos-signs-fta-costa-rican-counterpart-photo-040600110.html {{dead link|date=November 2021}} Costa Rica is finishing up the process so it can be readily incorporated as the Alliance's fifth member. At the same summit seven observers were admitted: the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Honduras, Paraguay, Portugal, among others.{{cite web|last=Wyss|first=Jim|title=Costa Rica and Guatemala move closer to joining Pacific Alliance bloc|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/23/3413506/costa-rica-and-guatemala-move.html|work=The Miami Herald|publisher=Miami Herald Media Co.|access-date=7 October 2013}}

The Pacific Alliance currently has 54 observer states as of 2024, including economic heavyweights such as China, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States, as well as three of the five Southern Common Market (Mercosur) countries and a member of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).{{cite web|author=German Institute of Global and Area Studies|author-link=German Institute of Global and Area Studies|url=https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/publication/the-pacific-alliance-nation-branding-through-regional-organisations |title=The Pacific Alliance: Nation-Branding through Regional Organisations |publisher=German Institute of Global and Area Studies |date=15 August 2016 |access-date=2016-08-16}} Analysts describe the Pacific Alliance as a tool to practise a kind of joint "nation-branding" to promote trade and investment and to enhance the international status and visibility of the member states.

In addition to reducing trade barriers, the Pacific Alliance has begun several other projects for regional integration, including visa-free tourist travel, a common stock exchange, and joint embassies in several countries.

In May 2016, the Pacific Alliance removed 92 percent of tariffs on goods traded between members.{{cite web|title=Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance: Whither the Relationship?|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/mercosur-and-the-pacific-alliance-whither-the-relationship|website=Wilson Center|date=3 August 2016}} Based on a 2013 agreement, the rest of the tariffs will be removed by 2020.{{cite news|title=How deep is their love?|url=https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21646273-pacific-alliance-great-brand-search-shared-product-how-deep-their-love|newspaper=The Economist|date=12 March 2015|quote="They signed an agreement in 2013 to abolish tariffs on 92% of merchandise trade, with the remainder to be freed by 2020. They have scrapped tourist visa requirements for each others' citizens..."}}

On 26 January 2022, the Pacific Alliance signed its first collective free trade agreement with a nation outside the alliance: Singapore. Singapore had been a candidate for associate member status of the Pacific Alliance since 2017.{{cite web | url=https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/OTc5OTcyMDkw | title=HKTDC Research }} As of February 2023, ratification of the PASFTA is ongoing.{{Cite news |last=Subhani |first=Ovais |date=2023-02-23 |title=Peru becomes first Pacific Alliance member to ratify bloc's trade deal with Singapore |language=en |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/peru-becomes-first-pacific-alliance-member-to-ratify-bloc-s-trade-deal-with-singapore |access-date=2023-07-19 |issn=0585-3923}}

The Mercado Integrado Latinoamericano (MILA) originally integrated the stock markets of Colombia (Colombia Stock Exchange), Chile (Santiago Stock Exchange), and Peru (Lima Stock Exchange), and is seen as a foundation for the Alliance's economic integration. These three stock markets began their integration in November 2010; this made it Latin America's largest market according to number of issuers, the second by market capitalization, and the third by turnover.

The Mexican Stock Exchange began the process of incorporation into MILA and its full incorporation was expected by the year 2014. The Mexican Stock Exchange took the step of acquiring a total of 3.79 million shares of the Lima Stock Exchange (BVL), equivalent to 6.7 percent of the shares of Series A of that market.{{cite web|author= Peter Kohli|title= The Andean Exchange: A Developing Market Opportunity in Our Backyard| url=http://www.nasdaq.com/article/the-andean-exchange-a-developing-market-opportunity-in-our-backyard-cm331968#ixzz3OKW48vfz |publisher=Nasdaq |access-date=9 January 2015}} This is part of an agreement for a strategic partnership in order to develop joint business activities and development of the stock markets of Peru and Mexico, and eventually complete integration into MILA.

The Mexican Stock Exchange met the timeframe and announced the first trade made as part of MILA on 2 December 2014.{{cite web|author= Jude Webber|title= Mexico exchange names Sacristán as new head| url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4ef088e4-7a43-11e4-a8e1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3OKK1KxiZ |work=Financial Times|access-date=9 January 2015}} The trade on MIILA was a $1,415 purchase of 200 shares in Chilean retailer Falabella, executed by GBM Mexico through GBM Chile. With the entry of Mexico into MILA, the integrated stock market now counts 780 issuers among the four countries, making it the biggest market by number of listed companies in Latin America, and the biggest in terms of market capitalization, according to the World Federation of Exchanges. The joint capitalization of the four bourses tops US$1.25 trillion, making it larger than the US$1.22 trillion BM&F Bovespa.

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Among the more important agreements that have been reached is the creation of joint diplomatic missions (embassies, consulates, etc.) that will provide citizens of Pacific Alliance member states with needed diplomatic services. The Declaration of Cali highlights the importance of the opening of an embassy shared between Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru in Ghana, as well as the agreement between Chile and Colombia to share embassies in Algeria and Morocco and between Colombia and Peru to share an embassy in Vietnam. The Declaration of Cali encourages these countries to move forward on these initiatives. In November 2014, Mexico opened its first trade office in Africa; located in Casablanca and shared with the other Pacific Alliance members.{{cite web|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/11/27/mexico-opens-1st-trade-office-in-africa/ |title=Mexico opens 1st trade office in Africa |publisher=Fox News Networks |access-date= 28 November 2014}}

File:VI_Cumbre_de_la_Alianza_del_Pacífico,_Santiago_de_Chile.jpg

As of July 2018, there are 55 observer states of which two are candidate countries, in process of full membership, which are the Central-American countries of Costa Rica and Panama.

Canada has also been mentioned as a candidate to join the alliance, and called a "natural fit" by Mexico's vice-minister of foreign affairs, Sergio Alcocer. It has free-trade agreements with the four founding members, and has been encouraged by regional leaders to join the alliance. However the Canadian government has yet to upgrade its observer status to observer-candidate as it is still determining whether or not to become a member.{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Campbell|title=Canada called 'a natural fit' for Pacific Alliance|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-called-a-natural-fit-for-pacific-alliance/article12032919/|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=8 October 2013|date=20 May 2013}}{{cite web|last=Scoffield|first=Heather|title=Harper says it's 'too early' to decide whether to join Pacific Alliance|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/harper-says-it-s-too-early-to-decide-whether-to-join-pacific-alliance-1.1293172|work=The Canadian Press|publisher=Bell Media|access-date=8 October 2013|date=23 May 2013}}

Costa Rica began the process of joining on 10 February 2014 at the eighth summit of the Alliance in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, when President Laura Chinchilla signed a protocol at a plenary session finalizing the decision to join the alliance.[http://www.nacion.com/economia/politica-economica/Costa-Rica-adhesion-Alianza-Pacifico_0_1395860563.html Costa Rica firma la hoja de ruta para su adhesión a la Alianza del Pacífico] La Nación, 2014-02-10. {{in lang|es}} The country had since postponed its incorporation into the alliance indefinitely, pending consultations by its presidential economic council.{{cite web|last=Gerardo Ruiz|first=Ramón|title=Costa Rica posterga su ingreso a la Alianza del Pacífico|url=http://www.nacion.com/economia/politica-economica/Costa-Rica-posterga-Alianza-Pacifico_0_1494250608.html|publisher=La Nación|access-date=26 July 2015|date=17 June 2015}} However, on 8 July 2022, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles announced that Costa Rica had applied to become a full member of the Alliance.{{cite web | url=https://www.todayonline.com/world/costa-ricas-chaves-launches-pacific-alliance-trade-push-1940191 | title=Costa Rica's Chaves launches Pacific Alliance trade push }}

Ecuador has been critical of the alliance in conjunction with other leaders of ALBA,{{cite web|last=Romero|first=Maria Teresa|title=Pacific Alliance Offers Hope for Latin American Collaboration|url=http://panampost.com/maria-teresa-romero/2013/10/18/the-pacific-alliance-offers-hope-for-latin-american-collaboration/|work=PanAm Post|publisher=AMTG Solutions|access-date=21 October 2013|date=18 October 2013}} but its president, Rafael Correa, has also speculated on a possible future bid if integration advances in areas other than trade.{{cite news|title=Ecuador's Correa pondering whether to join Mercosur or the Pacific Alliance|url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/07/31/ecuador-s-correa-pondering-whether-to-join-mercosur-or-the-pacific-alliance|work=MercoPress|publisher=South Atlantic News Agency|access-date=7 October 2013|author=MercoPress|date=31 July 2013}}

Guatemala has expressed concrete interest in joining the Pacific Alliance and is pursuing trade deals with current members as a precursor to a possible membership application.

Panama has expressed interest in joining the Alliance,{{cite news|author=The Economist|title=Latin American geoeconomics: A continental divide|url=https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21578056-region-falling-behind-two-alternative-blocks-market-led-pacific-alliance-and|date=18 May 2013|access-date=28 May 2013}} and is an official observer-candidate according to the website.{{cite web|title=Observant Countries|url=https://alianzapacifico.net/en/observant-countries/|work=Pacific Alliance website|publisher=Pacific Alliance|access-date=30 March 2025}} Panama has already signed trade deals with Colombia, Peru and Chile, and reached an agreement with Mexico to sign a free-trade deal in March 2014.{{cite web|title=Panamá y México sellan Tratado de Libre Comercio|url=http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2014/03/25/950419|work=Excelsior|date=18 March 2014}} While fulfilling most of the criteria to enter in the alliance,{{cite web|title=Panama Nears Trade Deal with Mexico: Next Stop, Pacific Alliance|url=http://panampost.com/marcela-estrada/2014/03/24/panama-nears-trade-deal-with-mexico-next-stop-pacific-alliance/|work=PanAm post|date=24 March 2014}} the country has so far refused to commit itself to full membership.{{cite web|title=Panamá, cada vez más cerca de la Alianza del Pacífico|url=http://laestrella.com.pa/economia/panama-cada-cerca-alianza-pacifico/23874322|work=La Estrella de Panamá|date=22 June 2015}}

Paraguay, a founding member of Mercosur and observer of the Pacific Alliance, has begun pursuing free-trade deals with current members as a precursor to a possible membership application.{{cite web|title=Paraguay advancing on trade agreement with Mexico, previous to requesting Pacific Alliance membership|url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/08/02/paraguay-advancing-on-trade-agreement-with-mexico-previous-to-requesting-pacific-alliance-membership|work=MercoPress|publisher=South Atlantic News Agency|access-date=21 October 2013|author=MercoPress|date=2 August 2013}} Paraguay was suspended from Mercosur following the impeachment of Fernando Lugo, although Paraguay asked Mercosur to lift the sanction. After the election and inauguration of Horacio Cartes, Paraguay has so far claimed "Paraguay would not abandon Mercosur", but assured it will seek to join the alliance.{{cite web|title=Paraguay Talking Trade with Mexico, US, Pacific Alliance|url=http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/v3/read.php?id=MjM4OTMz|publisher=Non-Aligned Movement News Network|access-date=21 October 2013|author=Mercopress|date=7 July 2013}} The government has said it is reportedly considering joining the Pacific Alliance in addition to rejoining Mercosur.{{cite web|last=Kenneally|first=Ivan|title=Mercosur, Pacific Alliance Battle Over Paraguay|url=https://www.sourcingjournalonline.com/mercosur-pacific-alliance-battle-over-paraguay/|work=Sourcing Journal|publisher=Hertsman Media Group|access-date=21 October 2013|date=3 August 2013}}

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden expressed that the United States was willing to join the Pacific Alliance as an observer on 23 May 2013, in Bogotá, Colombia, during a bilateral meeting with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.{{cite web|title=U.S. willing to join Pacific Alliance as observer: Biden|url=http://english.sina.com/world/2013/0527/594123.html|work=sina English|access-date=21 October 2013|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|date=28 May 2013}}

Argentine President Mauricio Macri, during his campaign and in press conferences after the election, has expressed his desire to bring his country closer to the Pacific Alliance and also work on integration between the bloc and his country's trade bloc Mercosur.{{cite web|title=La política exterior de Macri|url=http://www.elnuevoherald.com/opinion-es/opin-col-blogs/andres-oppenheimer-es/article45412167.html}}

Uruguay has been encouraged to join the alliance by existing members Peru and Colombia, and is reportedly considering the possibility of accession.{{cite web|title=Uruguay: Montevideo Considering Joining Pacific Alliance Trade Bloc|url=https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/uruguay-montevideo-considering-joining-pacific-alliance-trade-bloc|website=Stratfor Worldview|publisher=Stratfor Enterprises, LLC.|access-date=10 July 2017}}

Honduras officially applied for formal membership in October 2016, with the vocal support of Chile.{{cite news|title=Chile y Honduras estrechan relaciones con visita de canciller|url=http://prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=35256&SEO=chile-y-honduras-estrechan-relaciones-con-visita-de-canciller|access-date=10 July 2017|agency=Prensa Latina|publisher=Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana Prensa Latina|date=20 October 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710004218/http://prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=35256&SEO=chile-y-honduras-estrechan-relaciones-con-visita-de-canciller|archive-date=10 July 2017}}

File:Aguas territoriales Alianza Pacífico.svgs of the member states of the Pacific Alliance. Considering them, the total area reaches the 13 729 753 km².]]

• {{Flag|Chile}}
• {{Flag|Colombia}}
• {{Flag|Mexico}}
• {{Flag|Peru}}

• {{flag|Singapore}}{{Cite web |date=26 January 2022 |title=Pacific Alliance and Singapore sign Free Trade Agreement – Alianza del Pacífico. |url=https://alianzapacifico.net/en/pacific-alliance-and-singapore-sign-free-trade-agreement/ |access-date=2023-11-16 |language=en-US}}

• {{flag|Australia}}{{Cite web|url=https://alianzapacifico.net/paises-de-la-alianza-del-pacifico-apoyan-segundo-mandato-de-christine-lagarde-al-frente-del-fmi/|title=Países de la Alianza del Pacífico apoyan segundo mandato de Christine Lagarde al frente del FMI – Alianza del Pacífico.}}
• {{flag|Canada}}
• {{flag|Costa Rica}} (in the process of becoming a full member)
• {{Flag|Ecuador}}
• {{Flag|El Salvador}}
• {{Flag|Guatemala}}
• {{Flag|New Zealand}}
• {{Flag|Panama}}
• {{Flag|United States}}

{{Columns-list|colwidth=18em|

• {{flagcountry|Argentina}}{{cite web|author=MinutoUno |url=http://www.minutouno.com/notas/1465217-la-integracion-argentina-la-alianza-del-pacifico-debe-darse-el-mercosur |title=La integración de Argentina con la Alianza del Pacífico debe darse desde el Mercosur |publisher=Minutouno.com |date=2016-01-18 |accessdate=2021-11-20}}
• {{flag|Armenia}}{{Cite web|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/981310.html|title=Armenia granted observer status at Pacific Alliance|date=10 July 2019 }}
• {{flag|Australia}}
• {{flag|Austria}}
• {{flag|Azerbaijan}}{{cite web | url=https://www.gob.mx/sre/en/articulos/21st-meeting-of-the-pacific-alliance-council-of-ministers-199684?idiom=en | title=21st Meeting of the Pacific Alliance Council of Ministers }}
• {{flag|Belarus}}{{cite web | url=https://alianzapacifico.net/en/consejo-de-ministros-de-la-alianza-del-pacifico-sesiono-en-mexico-para-ultimar-detalles-de-la-proxima-cumbre-de-jefes-de-estado/ | title=Consejo de Ministros de la Alianza del Pacífico sesionó en México para ultimar detalles de la próxima Cumbre de Jefes de Estado – Alianza del Pacífico }}
• {{flag|Belgium}}
• {{flag|Canada}}
• {{flag|China}}
• {{Flag|Costa Rica}}
• {{Flag|Croatia}}
• {{Flag|Czech Republic}}
• {{flag|Denmark}}
• {{flag|Dominican Republic}}
• {{Flag|Ecuador}}
• {{Flag|Egypt}}
• {{flag|El Salvador}}
• {{flag|Finland}}
• {{flag|France}}
• {{flag|Georgia}}
• {{flag|Germany}}
• {{flag|Greece}}
• {{flag|Guatemala}}
• {{flag|Haiti}}
• {{flag|Honduras}}
• {{flag|Hungary}}
• {{flag|India}}
• {{flag|Indonesia}}
• {{flag|Ireland}}
• {{flag|Israel}}
• {{flag|Italy}}
• {{flag|Japan}}
• {{flag|Kazakhstan}}
• {{flag|Latvia}}
• {{flag|Lithuania}}
• {{Flag|Malta}}
• {{flag|Morocco}}
• {{flag|Netherlands}}
• {{flag|New Zealand}}
• {{flag|Norway}}
• {{flag|Pakistan}}
• {{flag|Panama}}
• {{Flag|Paraguay}}
• {{flag|Philippines}}
• {{Flag|Poland}}
• {{flag|Portugal}}
• {{Flag|Romania}}
• {{Flag|Saudi Arabia}}
• {{flag|Serbia}}
• {{Flag|Slovakia}}
• {{Flag|Slovenia}}
• {{flag|South Korea}}
• {{flag|Spain}}
• {{flag|Sweden}}
• {{flag|Switzerland}}
• {{flag|Thailand}}
• {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
• {{flag|Turkey}}
• {{Flag|Ukraine}}
• {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
• {{flag|United Kingdom}}
• {{flag|United States}}
• {{Flag|Uruguay}}

{{Clear}}

}}

{{Div col}}

• Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas
• Forum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation
• Free-trade area
• Market access
• Mercosur
• Rules of Origin
• Tariffs
• The Pacific Pumas
• Trans-Pacific Partnership
• Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement

{{Div col end}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://alianzapacifico.net/en/ Pacific Alliance website]

{{Pacific Alliance}}

{{Pan-Americanism}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pacific Alliance}}

Category:Regionalism (international relations)

Category:Organizations based in Latin America

Category:International organizations based in the Americas

Category:Organizations established in 2012

Category:2012 in South America