EU and Latin America and the Caribbean: partners of choice for a changing world

From digital innovation to sustainable trade, cultural exchange to climate action, the EU and Latin American and Caribbean States (LAC) are working together to address global challenges and create opportunities for their citizens.

The EU-LAC partnership is not just about high-level diplomacy; it is about tangible results that impact people's lives. The EU-LAC partnership is shaping a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking. The two regions offers a model of cooperation that prioritizes people, the planet, and shared prosperity.

At the EU-CELAC Ministerial meeting in New York on 24 September, Foreign Affairs Ministers meet to shape the agenda of the next CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia (9-10 November 2025) and review the state of the bi-regional relationship.

Now Foreign Ministers of both EU and CELAC members are ready to meet in New York, on the 24 September, side by side with the high-level week at the UN General Assembly to exchange on the progress made, priorities for the Summit and their cooperation in multilateral fora, hence paving the way to the Summit in November.

As EU High Representative Kaja Kallas emphasized in her speech at the European Parliament in February 2025, "Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is an indispensable partner in today's world." The region stands as a cultural and democratic powerhouse, home to the planet's richest biodiversity, including half of the world's tropical forests. It is also a key ally in the fight against climate change, boasting an impressive renewable energy capacity-60% of its power mix, double the global average-and abundant critical raw materials essential for the green and digital transition.

The 2023 EU-Caribbean Leaders' Meeting marked a renewed commitment to strengthening ties with the sub-region, paving the way for deeper dialogue and cooperation. The establishment of stronger links between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean since then includes the European Commission President's participation as a special guest in the 48th CARICOM summit, which took place last February in Barbados. The upcoming EU-Caribbean Leaders' Meeting in Santa Marta will continue this momentum and carry the work forward.

The partnership with LAC is not just about shared values; it's about shared action. Since the 2023 EU-CELAC Summit collaboration between both regions is guided by the EU-LAC Roadmap of Bi-Regional Initiatives and reinforced by high-level political engagement.

A dynamic political agenda

Since the 2023 Summit dialogue intensified, with over 30 EU high-level visits to the region, meetings, and progress on various agreements.

EU HR/VP Kaja Kallas has engaged extensively with LAC leaders, including Foreign Ministers from Costa Rica, Colombia, Uruguay, Barbados, Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. These meetings have strengthened cooperation on climate action, digital transformation, security, human rights, and trade, as well as the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda.

European Union, 2025

Image: HRVP Kallas with the foreign affairs ministers of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

The launch of the consultative coordination mechanism between the EU and CELAC created a platform to take stock of the progress in the implementation of the Summit commitments and to exchange on the wider partnership developments.

Championing multilateralism

The EU and LAC are staunch defenders of multilateralism and the rules-based international order. Together, EU and LAC countries represent nearly one-third of the votes at the United Nations and include seven G20 members. Collaboration between both regions takes place across critical global issues, from climate action and biodiversity protection to democracy, human rights, and digital governance.

Furthermore, EU and LAC are both committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reforming global financial architecture, and addressing transnational threats such as organized crime, drug trafficking, and cybersecurity risks.