Parliamentarians Call for Trade Improvement and Debt Restructuring at EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit

Parliamentarians Call for Trade Improvement and Debt Restructuring at EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit

(IN BRIEF) The EU and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) have come together to emphasize the importance of multilateralism based on rules in order to ensure peace, human rights, and international security. President Roberta Metsola will represent the European Parliament at the summit, along with MEP Javi López. President Metsola will hold bilateral meetings with leaders including Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador, and Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay. The parliamentarians from both regions express solidarity with Ukraine and condemn Russia’s “illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified” attack. They also aim to finalize trade deals with Central America, Mexico, Chile, and Mercosur. The parliamentarians stress the need for trade relations to improve the well-being of citizens and call for a reform of the World Trade Organization. They also support UN initiatives on debt restructuring to address crises and inequalities. Additionally, the European Parliament plans to establish an office in Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen its external representation.

(PRESS RELEASE) STRASBOURG, 17-Jul-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Union (EU), Latin America, and the Caribbean have joined forces to advocate for the revitalization of rules-based multilateralism, emphasizing the importance of peace, human rights, and international security.

President Roberta Metsola will represent the European Parliament at the upcoming EU-CELAC summit, accompanied by MEP Javi López (S&D, Spain), Co-Chair of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat).

During the summit, President Metsola is scheduled to meet with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador, and President Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay, among other world leaders.

Ahead of the gathering, President Metsola stated, “We are committed to promoting parliamentary democracy worldwide. Strengthening the partnership between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean is crucial for both regions. Today’s summit provides us with an opportunity to enhance our trade agreements, increase cooperation to achieve environmental targets, and prioritize human rights in our discussions. Europe must continue engaging with regions worldwide in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect. The European Parliament is ready to contribute, and I am pleased to announce that we will soon be opening our first antenna office in Latin America.”

Javi López, Co-Chair of the Assembly, added, “The EU and Latin America, representing one third of UN members, share core values such as parliamentary democracy and the defense of multilateralism. The antenna office will further reinforce the six EP Delegations already operating in the region, while continuing to support the work of the EUROLAT Assembly, which has fostered bi-regional dialogue for the past twenty years through its 150 members, convening twice a year.”

In a joint statement, parliamentarians from both regions express their unwavering commitment to strict adherence to international law, conveying solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and strongly condemning the “illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified attack by the Russian Federation.” They emphasize the significance of regular EU-CELAC summits at the heads of state or government level, noting that the most recent one took place in 2015. Furthermore, they underline the continuous engagement of EuroLat, which has convened over the past eight years to maintain bi-regional dialogue.

Trade for the Betterment of Lives

The parliamentarians stress that trade relations between the EU and the LAC region should contribute to improving the well-being and quality of life for all citizens. They call for structural reforms within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to enhance its effectiveness and transparency, aiming for an open, fair, equitable, inclusive, and non-discriminatory world trade system that adequately considers differences in development levels.

Addressing Debt Restructuring

Concerned about the exacerbation of poverty, long-term sustainable economic and social development hurdles, and widening inequalities caused by recent crises, including inflation, food, health, migration, and energy, the parliamentarians lend their support to UN initiatives on debt restructuring. They propose linking debt cancellation, exchange, and restructuring strategies to investments in education, health, industrial recovery, social cohesion, environmental conservation, and the strengthening of the business sector, among other key areas.

EP Office in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Bureau of the European Parliament reached an agreement earlier this month to establish an office in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. This decision reflects the EU’s commitment to strengthening the parliamentary dimension in its external representations, with a specific focus on multilateral parliamentary assemblies and international organizations. These offices will serve as vital platforms for networking, raising awareness about Parliament’s work, and exchanging knowledge and best practices.

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SOURCE: The European Parliament