Joint statement following the phone call of President António Costa and Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico

Joint statement following the phone call of President António Costa and Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico

The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, and the President of the European Council, António Costa, held a telephone conversation, during which they agreed to hold the 8th EU-Mexico Summit on 22 May 2026 in Mexico City.

The European Union will be represented by the President of the European Council and by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who will draw up a work agenda in Mexico as of 21 May.

The leaders agreed that the summit would be a decisive moment in the bilateral relationship and would consolidate a new stage in the strategic partnership between Mexico and the European Union.

One of the main expected outcomes of the summit will be the signing of the Political, Economic and Cooperation Strategic Partnership Agreement between Mexico and the European Union (Modernised Global Agreement), and of the Interim Agreement on Trade, once the relevant internal procedures in the European Union have been completed. The Modernised Global Agreement will update and deepen the existing framework for the political, cooperation and economic relationship established 25 years ago with the entry into force of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement in 2000.

This comprehensive agreement will strengthen the relationship in all the areas it covers and lay the foundations for deeper collaboration in strategic sectors for sustainable development on both sides.

The summit will also allow progress on joint priorities such as climate and environment, economic investment, energy, security, health, migration, digitalisation and innovation.

The leaders reiterated their commitment to multilateralism, respect for international law and international cooperation as key principles in addressing today's global challenges.

Background

Mexico is one of two European Union's strategic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean and a close ally and likeminded partner in multilateral fora on key topics such as the defence of multilateralism, human rights, climate and environmental protection, sustainable development and free trade. EU and Mexico also work together in the field of energy and health, as well as the fight against organised crime. Mexico is a UN, OECD and G20 member.

With a population of roughly 130 million people, Mexico is the second-largest country and second economy in Latin America. Mexico is one of the EU's longest standing trade agreement partners, with the original agreement dating back to 2000.

In 2024 EU-Mexico trade was valued at over €82 billion, roughly €53 billion in exports and over €29 billion in imports. The EU was Mexico's third-largest trading partner after the US and China, and its second-largest export market. Mexico was the EU's eleventh-largest trading partner. Top goods the EU exports to Mexico include machinery and appliances, chemicals and transport equipment.

The previous EU-Mexico summit was held in Brussels in June 2015.

• EU-Mexico trade: facts and figures (background information)
• EU-Mexico summit, Brussels, 12 June 2015 (background information)