Leaders from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean will meet in Brussels on the 17th and 18th of July for the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit. As the EU is seeking to strengthen its strategic partnership with the region, this Summit is the next step to speed up the ratification process of the EU-Mercosur, EU-Chile and EU-Mexico trade agreements. This way, the EU is expanding its access to critical raw materials by establishing “mutually beneficial long-term relationships” with resource-rich countries. With growing geopolitical pressures, however, the narrative in Brussels on development model has been transformed into a New Agenda EU-LAC that prioritises political dialogue an investment through the EU’s latest development cooperation tool ‘Global Gateway’. Yet, this new approach to development and cooperation does not guarantee a Just Transition.
With a rapidly shrinking civic and democratic space, Latin America is one of the world’s most unequal regions and human rights violations continue to plague indigenous peoples, land- and water defenders. Without strong due diligence measures, the promotion of the digital and green transitions will be established at the expense of local communities and the environment.
What can the EU do to improve to ensure political coherence in its protection and promotion of human rights and environmental justice? On July 17th, the EU-LAT Network is co-organising a hybrid event parallel to the EU-CELAC Summit in which civil society organisations present possible solutions on how to “Build a Just Transition to a Sustainable Future in Latin America”. Together with the EEB, this panel discussion represents the follow up of a public event in the European Parliament on the morning of July 17th, discussing the impact on trade and investment in EU-Latin America relations. Our organisations will broaden the discourse on trade justice to encompass additional subjects crucial to enabling a just transition for the LAC region: shrinking of civic space, indigenous rights, inequality, human rights and environmental due diligence, as well as the impact of the sourcing of raw materials.
When? 17th of July, 17.00-20.00 CEST (followed by a reception).
Where? European Environmental Bureau, Rue des Deux Eglises 14-16, Brussels.
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