Latin America and the Caribbean

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The EESC has engaged with Latin American and Caribbean counterpart organisations since the 1990s. Over the years, several EESC opinions have addressed relations with this region at regional, sub-regional and national levels. Its priorities include strengthening civil society organisations, promoting economic and social development, fostering regional integration and advancing cooperation in the multilateral sphere.

At the bi-regional level, the EESC organizes and contributes to meetings between civil society representatives from Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, including dialogue forums ahead of EU-CELAC Summits.

At sub-regional and national levels, the EESC has established several permanent structures. In 2009, it created a Civil Society Round Table with the Brazilian Economic and Social Development Council to provide a platform for dialogue and ongoing cooperation between Brazilian and European civil society. The EU-Brazil Civil Society Round Table was relaunched in 2025 with a new counterpart, Brazil's Sustainable Economic and Social Development Council (CDESS). Under the EU-Chile Association Agreement, the EESC was mandated to set up a Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) with Chilean civil society to monitor the agreement. The JCC was established in 2016, and its mandate expired in 2025 following the Advanced Framework Agreement and the provisional application of the Interim Trade Agreement, which introduced Domestic Consultative Groups (DCGs). The EU DCG was formed in early 2026.

For Central America and the Andean Community countries, the EESC participates in two Domestic Advisory Groups monitoring the implementation of the EU-Central America Association Agreement and the EU-Colombia/Peru/Ecuador Trade Agreement. It also takes part in the EU-CARIFORUM Consultative Committee overseeing the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement. In addition, the EESC maintains regular dialogue with its institutional counterparts in Mercosur, the Economic and Social Consultative Forum.

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  • 18th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement

    Video-conference
    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    The 18th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement will take place virtually on 10 November 2020.

  • 6th joint meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group and representatives from the domestic mechanisms of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador and Civil Society Open Session

    Video-conference Joint meeting
    -

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    During the meeting, the EU Domestic Advisory Group (EU DAG) and civil society representatives from the Colombia DAG, Peru Domestic Mechanism and Ecuador DAG discussed the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development Title of the Trade Agreement,...

  • 4th meeting of the EU-Chile Joint Consultative Committee

    Event type
    JCC Meeting

    Location

    Video conference

    The fourth meeting of the EU-Chile Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), established by the EU-Chile Association Agreement was held via a video conference on 27 November 2019. At this meeting, the members adopted a Joint Statement.

    The JCC is made up of eighteen members, nine from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and nine from Chilean civil society organisations. It is co-chaired by Josep Puxeu Rocamora, EESC member, and Roberto Zúñiga Belauzarán, Director, National Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CONAPYME).

  • 5th meeting of the EU-Chile Joint Consultative Committee

    Event type
    JCC Meeting

    Location

    Video conference

    The fifth meeting of the EU-Chile Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), established by the EU-Chile Association Agreement was held via a video conference on 15 May 2020. 

    The members discussed topics of interest for both parties, such as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on cooperation, trade and investment, decent work and informal economy and the Agenda for Sustainable Development; as well as proposals for strengthening of the role of the Joint Consultative Committee. The members adopted a Final Declaration on these topics.

  • 13th meeting of the Domestic Advisory Group for the EU-Colombia, Peru and Ecuador FTA

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Video conference

    The 13th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Colombia, Peru and Ecuador Free Trade Agreement will take place via a video conference on 24 June 2020. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.

  • CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee - 4th meeting

    CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee - 4th meeting
    -

    Location

    Castries
    St. Lucia

    The Consultative Committee (CC) is one of the 5 institutions foreseen in the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement. The CC is composed of 40 (25 from the CARIFORUM side and 15 from the EU side) standing representatives of organisations of the civil society representing employers' organisations, trade unions, other economic, social and non-governmental organisations, including development and environmental organisations; and the academic community.

  • 16th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Rue Belliard 99
    Brussels
    Belgium

    The 16th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement took place on 19 December 2019 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.

     

  • CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee - 5th meeting

    Event type
    JCC Meeting

    Location

    Rue Belliard 99
    Brussels
    Belgium

    The Consultative Committee (CC) is one of the 5 institutions foreseen in the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement. The CC is composed of 40 (25 from the CARIFORUM side and 15 from the EU side) standing representatives of organisations of the civil society representing employers' organisations, trade unions, other economic, social and non-governmental organisations, including development and environmental organisations; and the academic community.

  • Hearing on the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement: The views of organized civil society

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Rue Belliard 99
    Brussels
    Belgium

    The Latin America Follow up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a Hearing on the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement: The views of organized civil society on 13 of November 2019.

    The main purpose of the debate was to:

    • Assess the opportunities and challenges ahead of the implementation of the Agreement;
    • Evaluate compromises and possible impacts of the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Agreement;
    • Explore how the civil society and consultative structures should monitor the impact of the Association Agreement in terms of improving human rights and labour, social and environmental rights as well as a strict compliance with international conventions or agreements the parties have committed to.

  • 5th joint meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group and representatives from the domestic mechanisms of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador and Civil Society Open Session

    -
    Event type
    Joint meeting

    Location

    Bogota
    Colombia

    During the meeting, the EU Domestic Advisory Group (EU DAG) and civil society representatives from the Colombia DAG, Peru Domestic Mechanism and Ecuador DAG discussed the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development Title of the Trade Agreement, with a particular focus on respect for international labour and environmental standards. They also discussed economic, social, environmental and human rights impacts resulting from the implementation of the Agreement. The participants reflected on how the civil society from the EU, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador can cooperate to promote sustainable development in the context of trade relations and prepare for the next joint meeting.

Displaying 31 - 40 of 86