Chile

Chile is among the EU’s closest partners in the region. The Association Agreement signed in 2002 established one of the longest-standing partnerships, and its recent update further strengthens bilateral ties.

From October 2016 to February 2025, this relationship was structured through a Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), enabling closer and more organized dialogue between civil society in both regions and their respective political authorities. The JCC brought together the EESC and Chilean civil society organizations, including employers, workers, and other interest groups. It consisted of nine members from each side and convened annually to enable civil society organizations from both regions to discuss topics of common interest and monitor the modernization of the Association Agreement.

In 2025, with the entry into force of the Interim Trade Agreement and the provisional application of the Advanced Framework Agreement, the JCC's mandate expired. This transition introduced a new framework for civil society dialogue between the EU and Chile. Under the updated legal provisions, Domestic Consultative Groups (DCGs) must be established on both sides within two years of the Agreement’s entry into force.

Following the European Commission's call to create the EU-Chile Domestic Consultative Group in late 2025, the group was formed in early 2026 and held its inaugural meeting on 20 March.