Joint Letter: EU-CELAC Multistakeholder Follow-up Mechanism and the Role of Civil Society, Trade Unions and Local Governments and their Associations

“Our organisations, as members of the EU-LAC Civil Society Working Group, trade unions, local governments and their associations, would like to request a clear commitment by the EU for a long-term engagement of civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations in the development of the EU-CELAC partnership, even beyond the summit.”

In the lead-up to the EU-CELAC Summit, civil society organisations of the EU-LAC Civil Society Working Group, trade unions, local governments and their associations, jointly propose the establishment of an official multi-stakeholder follow-up mechanism to ensure long-term engagement and commitment with civil society in the renewed EU-CELAC partnership. In a letter directed at Council President Michel, HR/VP Borell, Commissioner Urpilainen, Spanish President Sánchez and Belgian PM De Croo, the EU-LAC Group underline that, according to the objectives stated in the New EU-LAC Agenda, an official mechanism is needed to continue spaces, consultations and open dialogues with civil society beyond the EU-CELAC Summit.

To do so, civil society organisations are suggesting the following recommendations:

• The sharing of strategic information on the EU-CELAC partnership should be proactively shared in advance, in a transparent, inclusive and accessible manner.
• Regular dialogue should be promoted through an official multi-stakeholder mechanism, to monitor and enable contributions to the implementation of the commitments of the Summit.
• The Joint Declaration that will be adopted at the Summit, must include a paragraph acknowledging civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations key issues of concern and policy recommendations, with the political commitment by EU and CELAC leaders to establish an official space for multi-stakeholder dialogue.
• Civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations should be given observer status during the Summit and the opportunity to directly present key messages to Heads of State and Government and other officials.
• The Commission should organise briefing and debriefing meetings with civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations, before and after the high-level meetings planned  after the Summit.

More information on the position of civil society on the EU-CELAC partnership ahead of the 2023 Summit? Read the Joint Position Paper “Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union: Towards a Real Renewed Political Partnership. Civil Society Proposals to Strengthen the Bi-regional Relationship” here.