EU-Latin America Relations: Charting a course for the future

This month’s EU-CELAC summit takes place against a new geopolitical context, with Europe’s relevance in Latin America challenged not only by the region’s traditional links with the United States but also by growing relations with emerging actors, including China. The recent rapprochement between the United States and Cuba will also have wider implications for the region and for EU-Latin American relations. The EU has an association agreement with the Central American countries and free trade agreements with each member of the Pacific Alliance. However, the EU and Mercosur have still not been able to negotiate an association agreement while bilateral relations with some Latin American countries are deteriorating over political choices. How can the EU strengthen its engagement with Latin America and create synergies with different and sometimes competing regional integration initiatives? Are there ways in which EU-Latin America relations are special and unique? Is the EU being challenged in Latin America by other global actors like China, and how? What is the impact of emerging Latin powers like Chile and Colombia? How can the EU’s strategic partnerships with Brazil and Mexico be used to enhance interregional cooperation? How can the EU’s strategic partnerships with Brazil and Mexico be used to enhance interregional cooperation?

The EU and Latin America benefit from historical links of friendship and shared values. But the full potential of their relations has not been fulfilled because of political constraints. The EU-CELAC Action Plan 2013-2015 agreed in Santiago de Chile envisaged bilateral efforts to increase comprehensive bilateral cooperation in eight areas. As such, the EU-CELAC summit in June presents a good opportunity to assess results of the past two years and reflect on strategies to enhance connectivity between Latin America and the EU. Can EU-Latin American relations be further strengthened through contacts between the two regions’ civil societies? What are the challenges and opportunities as regards increased trade and investment flows? Can the European Parliament play an active role in encouraging inter-regional ties? How might the two regions intensify their socio-cultural links by investing in human capital and social inclusion?

The EU and Latin America can and should work more closely together to tackle global 21st Century challenges. In particular, they should seek to promote common positions on four major contemporary topics on the global agenda: the post-2015 development agenda, global climate negotiations, the Colombian peace process and the world drug problem. To what extent can enhanced cooperation based on shared values be translated into joint action and the consolidation of effective multilateralism? How can the two regions increase their convergence on global strategic issues? Can the EU and Latin America work together in the context of negotiations of the post-2015 agenda and of the UNFCCC process to unlock a global climate deal? What can be done to improve cooperation to counter drug trafficking and achieve sustainable peace in Colombia?