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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  • 1st meeting of the EU-Chile Joint Consultative Committee

    -
    Event type
    JCC Meeting

    Location

    Santiago de Chile

  • 7th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

  • 3rd EU-Central America joint meeting of civil society Advisory Groups and Civil Society Dialogue Forum

    -
    Event type
    Joint meeting

    Location

    Tegucigalpa
    Honduras

  • 6th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    During the meeting, the Commission representative provided information about the implementation of the project on labour standards delivered in cooperation with the ILO in El Salvador and Guatemala. The Commission also informed about preparations for meetings with Central America planned for 15-17 June in Honduras, in particular meeting of the intergovernmental Board on Trade and Sustainable Development. The EU Advisory Group then discussed preparations for the civil society meetings with Central America, which this year will include a workshop on market access, a joint meeting of the Advisory Groups and an open Civil Society Dialogue Forum. In the afternoon, a video-conference with Central American partners took place to discuss preparations for joint meetings.

  • 3rd meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group for the EU-Colombia and Peru Trade Agreement

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    During the meeting, the EU DAG had an opportunity to discuss with Mr. Helmut Scholz, Member of the European Parliament, implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development Title and work of the civil society monitoring mechanism in the framework of the EU-Colombia and Peru Trade Agreement. Moreover, the representatives of the European External Action Service (EEAS) presented information about the EU relations and cooperation with Colombia and Peru. Based on the Second Annual Report, the Commission representative provided information about the implementation of the Trade Agreement, changes in trade flows and work of joint bodies. He also informed about the procedures and timeline related to Ecuador's accession to the Agreement. The EU DAG discussed also with the Commission preparations for the next meeting with Colombia and Peru under the Trade and Sustainable Development Title, as well as the ways to better communicate its activities to the partners and other relevant stakeholders.

  • CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee - 2nd meeting

    -
    Event type
    JCC Meeting

    Location

    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 CARIFORM 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.

  • 5th meeting of the EU Advisory Group under the EU-Central America Association Agreement

    Event type
    Meeting

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    During the meeting, the representative of the European External Action Service (EEAS) presented information about the EU relations and cooperation with Central America. Based on the Second Annual Report, the Commission representative provided information about the implementation of the trade pillar of the Association Agreement, changes in trade flows and work of joint bodies established by the Agreement. The EU Advisory Group discussed also preparations for the next meeting with Central America under the Trade and Sustainable Development Title, as well as the ways to better communicate its activities to the Central American partners and other relevant stakeholders.

  • Input of the European Economic and Social Committee to the ILO Global Coalition for Social Justice

    Published in
    15 pages

    This document seeks to provide input to the Global Coalition for Social Justice. It highlights key messages from EESC opinions on the six priority areas identified by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for immediate action.

  • External Relations Section

    Published in
    8 pages

    The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is responsible for dialogue between European civil society organisations and their homologues from the countries with which the European Union has formal relations (e.g. under the form of a Free Trade Agreement). Through this dialogue, made possible by a series of bilateral bodies, and through specialized opinions and information reports, the Committee is able to concretely contribute to EU foreign policy.

  • DECLARATION OF THE EU DOMESTIC ADVISORY GROUP UNDER THE EU TRADE AGREEMENT WITH COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU

    Latest update
    • DECLARATION OF THE EU DOMESTIC ADVISORY GROUP UNDER THE EU TRADE AGREEMENT WITH COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU
Displaying 61 - 70 of 86