On EU political strategy on Latin America

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on EU political strategy on Latin America

(2025/2083(INI))

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Title V thereof on EU external action,

– having regard to its resolution of 2 April 2025 on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2024,

– having regard to its resolutions on Venezuela, in particular that of 21 January 2025 on the situation in Venezuela following the usurpation of the presidency on 10 January 2025, and that of 19 September 2024 on the situation in Venezuela, on Cuba, in particular that of 12 July 2023 on the state of the EU-Cuba PDCA in the light of the recent visit of the High Representative to the island, and that of 19 September 2024 on the case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba, and on Nicaragua, in particular that of 13 February 2025 on repression by the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua, targeting human rights defenders, political opponents and religious communities in particular,

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 7 June 2023 entitled ‘A New Agenda for Relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean’ (JOIN(2023)0017),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’ (JOIN(2021)0030),

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/1 of 2 March 2022 entitled ‘Aggression against Ukraine’,

– having regard to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC on 12 December 2015,

– having regard to the Declaration of the EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit 2023 held in Brussels on 17 and 18 July 2023,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas the EU and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) share long-standing historical, cultural and economic connections, forming a natural alliance grounded in democracy, human rights and multilateral cooperation;

B. whereas engagement between the two regions is further reinforced through strong bilateral relations and deeper interactions with sub-regional entities such as Mercosur, the Andean Community, CARICOM/CARIFORUM and the Pacific Alliance;

C. whereas the EU and LAC countries together account for a third of the total population of the members of the United Nations and around 21 % of global GDP;

D. whereas the multilateral rules-based order on which peace and prosperity have been based for the last 80 years is being increasingly challenged by autocracies across the globe;

E. whereas Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine constitutes a flagrant breach of international law and threatens global security, requiring a coordinated stance on the part of democratic partners, including those in LAC;

F. whereas external actors, notably China, Russia and Iran, have deepened their footprint in LAC, with Beijing expanding investments in infrastructure, Moscow reinforcing its diplomatic and security presence and Tehran increasing intelligence activities in the region;

G. whereas the actions taken by the US Trump administration are reshaping global geopolitical dynamics, presenting both challenges to the EU-LAC strategic partnership and opportunities to revamp it in 2025;

H. whereas the November 2025 EU-CELAC summit in Colombia will be a key opportunity to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to LAC and demonstrate that Europe is a reliable partner;

The geopolitical importance of EU-LAC political dialogue

1. Acknowledges the deep historical, cultural and economic ties between the EU and LAC, which form not only the foundation of a natural alliance but also the basis of a strong and enduring partnership of choice;

2. Notes that the EU’s engagement in the region has been suboptimal in recent decades, thus creating a vacuum for the growing influence of China, Russia and Iran;

3. Recognises the urgent need to renew and develop the EU-LAC relationship in response to the emerging geopolitical shifts, climate change, technological advancements and growing inequalities;

4. Calls for the EU and its Member States to step up diplomatic efforts in the region to promote increased convergence between the EU and LAC on crucial foreign policy issues, including a firmer stance on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;

5. Encourages deeper EU-LAC collaboration in international forums to promote and defend the multilateral global order, international law and respect for democracy and human rights;

6. Is concerned by the democratic backsliding that has taken place in LAC since 2019 and condemns the regimes in Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela, which are among the world’s most authoritarian; recalls that the regime in Nicaragua maintains strong ties with other autocracies, such as those in Iran, Venezuela and Cuba; condemns the systematic human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by the Cuban regime; strongly condemns and fully rejects the electoral fraud orchestrated by the regime in Venezuela and demands that the Maduro government cease its policy of repression and attacks on civil society and the opposition;

Economic cooperation

7. Welcomes the strong economic and trade partnership between the EU and LAC, which is based on shared interests in promoting sustainable growth, strengthening economic resilience and reducing excessive dependencies through diversified trade relations;

8. Highlights the fact that the EU is the largest investor in the LAC region and the third-largest trading partner;

9. Acknowledges the dense network of agreements between the two regions and stresses the fundamental geopolitical importance of enacting new and more ambitious agreements and partnerships;

10. Welcomes the signing of the EU-Chile Advanced Framework Agreement and calls for its swift and full ratification; welcomes the conclusion of the negotiations on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mexico Global Agreement and calls for their swift signing and ratification;

EU-LAC cooperation against the backdrop of the Global Gateway initiative

11. Highlights the fact that the EU is the leading contributor to development cooperation in LAC, and calls for the EU and its Member States to leverage major initiatives such as the Global Gateway to increase investment in LAC, ensuring that the EU remains a strong and competitive partner for LAC countries given the growing Chinese presence in the region;

Cooperation on security

12. Is concerned about the increase in organised crime and drug trafficking in LAC and the unprecedented quantities of illicit drugs trafficked to the EU from the region; highlights the need to increase multilateral cooperation in combating these threats through initiatives such as the EU-LAC Partnership on Justice and Security and EL PAcCTO 2.0;

13. Underlines the importance of the strategic engagement between interior and/or security ministers of the EU Member States and the ministers with responsibility for security matters in the member states of the Latin American Committee on Internal Security and of strengthening operational law enforcement cooperation between the EU and LAC;

14. Welcomes efforts to strengthen regional security cooperation through the expansion of the Latin America Committee for Internal Security and the establishment of AMERIPOL as a formalised law enforcement body, facilitating cross-border coordination;

15. Highlights the necessity of addressing the root causes of organised crime, including corruption, weak governance and social inequality, and advocates for an approach that combines law enforcement with long-term social policies;

Justice, human rights and the rule of law

16. Welcomes the continued cooperation between the EU and LAC to uphold democracy, human rights and good governance, with the EU’s electoral observation missions playing a key role in supporting fair elections and ensuring transparency;

Parliamentary cooperation

17. Welcomes the deepening of parliamentary cooperation between the EU and LAC, particularly through the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, which promotes dialogue on key issues such as trade, security and sustainable development;

18. Points out the crucial role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bi-regional relations by facilitating direct dialogue with national and regional parliaments;

Recommendations for the EU-CELAC November 2025 summit

19. Welcomes the EU-CELAC meeting in 2023 and the implementation of initiatives under the EU-CELAC Roadmap 2023-2025; underlines, in this regard, the need to adopt a new and ambitious roadmap at the 2025 summit that further strengthens the partnership and takes into account best practices;

20. Calls for the parties to reaffirm their joint commitment to multilateralism and peace at the November 2025 summit;

21. Calls for the parties to strongly condemn Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, in particular all its serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law;

22. Considers it important that the EU and LAC agree to jointly drive global green initiatives, such as the negotiations for an international treaty to avoid plastic pollution;

23. Encourages continued strong cooperation on digital matters through the EU-LAC Digital Alliance with a view to fostering a human-centric digital transformation in both regions;

24. Reiterates its call for a substantial increase in bi-regional cooperation in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking;

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25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

As rapporteur for this important initiative, I am pleased to present a report that reflects a renewed and strategic vision for the European Union’s partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This report comes at a time of profound geopolitical transformation, in which our shared democratic values, commitment to multilateralism, and respect for international law are increasingly challenged by the rise of autocratic regimes and global instability.

The European Union and LAC are natural allies. We are bound by deep historical, cultural, and economic ties, but more importantly, by our common dedication to democracy, human rights, and rules-based international cooperation. Yet, despite this foundation, the EU’s engagement in the region has been insufficient in recent decades, creating space for other global actors—most notably China, Russia, and Iran—to expand their influence.

This report therefore calls for a decisive and proactive re-engagement. It urges the EU to intensify diplomatic efforts, promote economic partnerships, and deepen cooperation on security, justice, and digital transformation. It also underlines the importance of the Global Gateway initiative to increase investment and strengthen the EU’s presence as a competitive and reliable partner in the region. In this context, the conclusion and ratification of the EU-Mercosur Agreement is of fundamental geopolitical and economic importance to revitalising bi-regional ties.

We stress the need to stand united on key foreign policy issues, particularly in defending the international rules-based order. This includes a clear and coordinated position in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in condemning the actions of authoritarian regimes in Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela.

At the same time, we highlight the vital role of parliamentary diplomacy, and we look ahead to the November 2025 EU-CELAC Summit as a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to a modern, values-driven partnership that delivers for both regions.

In sum, this report reflects a call to action: to move beyond rhetoric and ensure that the EU-LAC relationship becomes a true partnership of choice—ambitious, balanced, and grounded in shared principles.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

Entity and/or person

EU-LAC group

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.