NGOs urge Latin American, Caribbean and EU leaders to engage with civil society in developing partnership

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Wetlands International Europe and the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Civil Society Working Group, trade unions, local governments and their associations, are requesting a clear commitment from the EU for long-term engagement with civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations in developing the partnership between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), even beyond the summit on 17-18 July.

As a concrete proposal we suggest a political commitment by EU and CELAC leaders to establish an official multi-stakeholder follow-up mechanism that includes civil society, trade unions, local governments and their associations in it among other actors, and with adequate funding. 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 to Council President Charles Michel, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell, Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander 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  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.