EU-Latin American and the Caribbean International Foundation

SUMMARY OF:

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The agreement establishes the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean International Foundation (EU-LAC Foundation) as an international organisation with legal personality which aims to:

encourage further mutual knowledge and understanding between both regions;
strengthen the CELAC-EU bi-regional partnership process, with increased participation of civil society;
enhance the mutual visibility between both regions, as well as of the bi-regional partnership itself.

The decision concludes the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

Membership

The EU-LAC Foundation brings together the EU and its 28 countries, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and its 33 countries.

Objectives

It specifically aims to:

promote and coordinate result-oriented activities in support of bi-regional relations and focused on the implementation of priorities established by CELAC-EU Summits;
promote the debate on common strategies aiming at the execution of these priorities by stimulating research and studies;
foster fruitful exchanges and new networking opportunities among civil society and other social actors.

Activities

The activities of the Foundation:

are based on the priorities and themes addressed at the level of Heads of State and Government at the Summits, and focused on the needs identified to further the bi-regional relationship;
involve, as far as possible, civil society and other social actors, such as academic institutions, and take into account their contributions on a non-binding basis;
bring added value to existing initiatives;
give visibility to the partnership.

Such activities may include:

encouraging debate, through seminars, conferences, workshops, reflection groups, courses, exhibitions, publications, presentations, professional training, exchange on best practices and special knowledge;
promoting and supporting events related to topics addressed in CELAC-EU Summits and related to CELAC-EU Senior Officials Meetings (SOM) priorities;
launching bi-regional awareness programmes and initiatives, including exchanges in identified priority fields;
encouraging studies on issues identified by both regions;
reaching and offering new contact opportunities taking into account especially those individuals or institutions not familiar with the CELAC-EU bi-regional partnership;
creating an internet-based platform and/or generate an electronic publication;
launching initiatives in association with public and private institutions, the EU Institutions, international and regional institutions, Latin American and Caribbean countries and EU countries.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 17 May 2019.

BACKGROUND

For further information see:

EU relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (European External Action Service).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement establishing the EU-LAC International Foundation (OJ L 103, 12.4.2019, pp. 3-20)

Council Decision (EU) 2016/1873 of 10 October 2016 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement establishing the EU-LAC International Foundation (OJ L 288, 22.10.2016, pp. 1-2)

Council Decision (EU) 2019/593 of 8 April 2019 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement establishing the EU-LAC International Foundation (OJ L 103, 12.4.2019, pp. 1-2)