EU-documenten

HRVP Blog of 30 January 2024 on deepening EU-Latin America cooperation

Deepening EU-Latin America cooperation against organised crime and violence

HR/VP Blog - Last week, I discussed with members of the European Parliament and think tanks how to best help the digital, green and social transitions in Latin America. I also spoke with Ecuador's President, Daniel Noboa, about EU support in tackling the security crisis in his country. Latin America and Europe must cooperate more closely on fighting organised crime as well as on advancing social inclusion and equality.

A few days after returning from Guatemala, Latin America was again high on my agenda last week. I joined the European Parliament's delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and Fundación Euroamerica to debate how to best advance our cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean. Our discussions concentrated on areas such as the fight against organised crime that operates between our two continents, the digital, green, and social transitions, as well as how to build and maintain the invisible infrastructure that sustains democracies.

The triple transition

In my interactions with leaders from emerging countries, I am often told that what really differentiates us are not different values, but different priorities. In many parts of the world, a stable supply of electricity is not a given and achieving basic literacy remains a challenge. In such an environment, our calls for digital and green transitions often sound outlandish. In many countries, these transitions will only be feasible if they go hand in hand with the fight against inequality and for social inclusion. Neglecting the social transition, while pushing forward technological innovation for the green and digital transitions, may even widen the divide between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'.

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Council of the EU Press release of 21 November 2023 - conclusions on EU-LAC relations

Latin America and the Caribbean: Council approves conclusions on EU-LAC relations

Today, the Council approved conclusions on relations between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), in which it stresses that, by joining forces, the EU and LAC can make a meaningful difference in promoting sustainable growth, building fair and resilient societies and advancing peace and security, inclusive multilateralism and the rules-based international order.

Recognising that the inclusive and constructive dialogue during the recent EU-CELAC Summit allowed both regions to better understand each other's priorities, the Council welcomes the bi-regional roadmap 2023-2025 presented at the Summit, and encourages the parties to promptly set up the agreed consultative coordination instance to advance shared commitments.

The conclusions highlight that, at multilateral level, the EU and LAC are natural partners and should further strengthen their cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges, including the global climate and environmental crises. The EU is committed to working with LAC partners for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as on the reform of global governance, including the international financial architecture, to make it more inclusive and effective.

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EC Press Release of 17 July 2023 - Joint Declaration on a Digital Alliance EU-LAC

EU-Latin America and Caribbean: Joint Declaration on a Digital Alliance

The European Union (EU) and Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay have agreed to deepen our partnership by establishing an EU-LAC Digital Alliance.

The EU-LAC Digital Alliance is an informal, values-based framework for cooperation, open to all Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries and EU Member States who may participate through their respective governments and agencies related to the digital agenda. The EU participates as Team Europe with Member States and their development agencies, European financial institutions and the LAC branch of the Digital4Development Hub. The Alliance will also provide for the participation of other stakeholders, such as the private sector, research and academic networks, and other social actors from both regions, as appropriate.

The EU-LAC Digital Alliance provides a forum for regular bi-regional dialogue and cooperation on digital matters for the benefit of our citizens. It creates a strategic framework to foster future cooperation, as well as for the substantial EU-LAC digital cooperation that is already ongoing and which includes EU Member States' cooperation and EU-supported infrastructure in the LAC region like the BELLA programme, Copernicus Centres, the LAC Cyber Competence Centre, and other specific projects, for example on cybercrime under the EL PAcCTO programme.

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EC Press Release of 18 July 2023 on the EU-CELAC Summit in Brussels

EU-CELAC Summit: towards a closer, stronger and renewed partnership between both regions

On 17 and 18 July, the European Union and the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean states (CELAC) held their 3rd Summit in Brussels. The meeting gathered Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States and of the 33 CELAC states for the first time in eight years.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said: "This EU-CELAC Summit felt like a new beginning between old friends. These are times of great geopolitical change and like-minded friends like the EU and Latin American and Caribbean partners need to get closer. This is what we are doing with our new Global Gateway Investment Agenda, under which we will invest more than €45 billion in the region. We want to bring benefits to local communities, and create value chains locally, in the region. This is the spirit of our partnership."

The series of meetings started with an EU-LAC Business Round Table on Monday morning, where President von der Leyen presented the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA). It includes more than 135 projects to make the fair green and digital transition a reality on both sides of the Atlantic and revolves around four pillars: a fair green transition, an inclusive digital transformation, human development and health resilience and vaccines.

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EC Press Release of 14 July 2023 on strengthening disaster preparedness cooperation

Latin America and the Caribbean: EU strengthens disaster preparedness cooperation and releases €43 million aid fund

Today, Commissioner Janez Lenarčič is announcing the release of €43 million in humanitarian aid for the whole Latin American and Caribbean region in 2023. The announcement will be made at the event 'Disaster preparedness saves lives', co-hosted by the EU and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), during the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Forum, a key milestone ahead of the EU-CELAC Summit 2023 taking place on 17 and 18 July.

The 'Disaster Preparedness saves lives' event brings together representatives from the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean countries, UN and civil society organisations, intergovernmental agencies and disaster management bodies, among others. The gathering provides a unique platform to enhance cooperation and showcase the evolution of the disaster preparedness and emergency response in the region, as well as the opportunity to share key achievements and lessons learnt.

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HRVP Blog Post of 11 June 2023 - A new EU agenda with Latin America and the Caribbean

A new EU agenda with Latin America and the Caribbean

HR/VP Blog - Last Wednesday, together with the European Commission, I set out a new agenda for strengthening relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean. We already have strong ties with the region but in the new geopolitical context, we need a qualitative leap forward. For that purpose, the EU-CELAC summit next month will be crucial.

Since I became HRVP in 2019, I made it part of my mission to strengthen our "other transatlantic relationship", the one with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This region has traditionally been a foreign policy priority for some of our member states, such as Spain and Portugal, who have strong historical ties, but I am determined that it become a strategic priority for the Union as a whole.

We already have a dense network of agreements with 27 out of 33 countries of the region. Our economic ties are also strong: European Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the LAC region is bigger than our FDI in India, China and Japan combined. Millions of people from the LAC region live in the EU and vice versa and our two regions are also closely aligned in terms of interests and values. However, in recent years, other actors, notably China, have been very active in strengthening their economic and political footprint in the region.

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HRVP Speech of 7 June 2023 on the new Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean: College read-out by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell on a New Agenda for Relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean


Today, the European Commission and the High Representative are presenting a proposal to build a closer and modernised strategic partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean.

Everybody knows that we are among the world's most closely aligned regions in terms of interests and values, so we are natural partners.

Our partnership has always been positive because it is built on common history and shared values.

But sometimes this partnership was taken for granted, or even neglected.

And the fact is, in the last years - many years, too many years - [there has] not been a Summit between the two regions. And I think that this has to change, clearly, and this is the purpose of the [Joint] Communication [on a New Agenda for Relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean], to boost the process, to send an important message. Because in the current geopolitical context, to reinforce the relationship, the partnership between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, is a strategic imperative.

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HRVP Speech of 29 April 2023 on recalibrating a strategic partnership with EU-LAC

America Latina, el Caribe y Europa: Recalibrar nuestra asociacion estrategica - discurso de inauguración del seminario del Alto Representante/vicepresidente Josep Borrell

Excelentísima señora Vicepresidenta, Doña Francia Márquez.

Queridos Leire y Adrián, de la Fundación EULAC.

Querida Secretaria de Estado, que nos acoge en esta casa de la Cooperación Española cooperación en el sentido más amplio y noble de la palabra que ha reclamado la señora Vicepresidenta.

Gracias a la Agencia de Cooperación Internacional por acogernos en este Centro de Formación y a todos los que han acudido a nuestro llamado con un objetivo modesto y a la vez trascendente, que es reflexionar juntos sobre de qué manera podemos cooperar mejor desde una relación de iguales y desde, como solemos decir, valores compartidos.

Señora Vicepresidenta, yo tengo que hacer lo que se llama el keynote speaker, es decir enmarcar el debate y lanzar pelotas a la cancha para que los demás golpeen el balón. Y voy a intentar también hacer algún comentario a sus palabras, esto tiene que ser un diálogo, vamos a dejar la formalidad diplomática de lado pues estamos aquí para hablarnos y rebotar ideas entre nosotros. Y tenemos el privilegio de poderlo hacer, de reflexionar, de escuchar y aprender juntos, nosotros los europeos escuchando a las voces latinoamericanas y caribeñas que nos acompañan.

Gracias por venir, y gracias por tener la oportunidad de hacerlo en esta ciudad maravillosa, Cartagena, patrimonio histórico y cultural de la humanidad, por cuyas calles se puede encontrar uno con la sombra -o al menos el recuerdo- de Gabriel García Márquez, porque ¿Quién no ha leído 'El amor en los tiempos del cólera'? o ¿Quién no se ha inspirado en 'Del amor y otros demonios', que andan pululando por las noches cartageneras?

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EEAS Statement of 28 March 2023 on the inauguration of Cyber-Competence Centre (LAC4)

HR/VP Josep Borrell inaugurates the Latin American and Caribbean Cyber-Competence Centre (LAC4)

During his visit to the Dominican Republic to attend the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit this week, HR/VP Borrell inaugurated the Cyber-competence Centre of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC4).

The Latin American and Caribbean Cyber-Competence Centre is implemented by the EU CyberNet project, in close collaboration with the Estonian Information System Authority, and financed by the European Union, with its facilities in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

HR/VP Borrell said "LAC4 shows the EU's commitment to cooperate and strengthen the association with Latin American and Caribbean countries, based on our shared values. I am also pleased this is the first regional e-skills center created by the EU. This shows the remarkable achievements of the countries of the region, and more specifically of the Dominican Republic, in rapid digitization, which boosts innovation for the benefit of societies. It demonstrates our commitment and the strong partnership of the European Union with the Dominican to continue collaborating based on our shared values."

LAC4 will contribute to improving cybersecurity education and capabilities, improve interoperability capabilities, cyberspace capabilities, research and development, and create national cybersecurity standards in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

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HRVP Speech of 25 March 2023 during the Iberoamericana Summit in the Dom. Republic

Cumbre Iberoamericana: Intervención del Alto Representante/Vicepresidente Josep Borrell durante la Cumbre en República Dominicana

Señor Presidente de la República Dominicana [Luis Abinader], [Su] Majestad, Rey de España Felipe VI,

Presidente, Excelencias, Secretario-General Iberoamericano [Andrés Allamand], como decimos en Bruselas "todo protocolo observado".

Amigas y amigos, muchas gracias.

Muchas gracias, señor presidente por su invitación y por su hospitalidad.

Es un gran honor y un inmenso placer poder estar aquí en República Dominicana, representando la Unión Europea.

Ya saben, la Unión Europea, ese club de Estados que no responde a ninguna de las formas de organización política conocida. No es un estado unitario, no es una federación, no es una confederación, pero es algo más que un club, que un acuerdo comercial.

Es un nuevo actor político que decidió sustituir el enfrentamiento y la guerra por la cooperación y la paz a través de la integración económica, y que ahora ambiciona jugar un papel geopolítico en el mundo convulso en el que nos toca vivir. Siendo también fuera de sus fronteras un agente de paz y prosperidad compartida.

Para mí, es una enorme satisfacción estar aquí.

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