EU-LAC dialogue on Just Transition and trade

Despite the EU’s growing emphasis on sustainability, its trade and investment policies remain largely disconnected from social and climate objectives. The EU’s relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) tend to perpetuate dependency and undermine local development, and often leads to environmental degradation, social inequality, and violations of labour and human rights. At the same time, EU-LAC relations are entering a new phase. Against the backdrop of multidimensional crises and the urgency of the green and digital transitions, LAC has become a strategic partner for Europe in renewable energy and critical raw materials. 

The EU–CELAC Summit 2025 in Colombia represented a key political moment to reshape the relationship between the two regions. Taking place just days before COP30 in Brazil, it offered an opportunity to demand trade policies that support the just transition: decarbonisation without extractivism, fair distribution of benefits, protection of ecosystems, and respect for workers, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities. 

In this context, FEPS, FES Just Climate and SOLIDAR organised an EU-LAC Dialogue on Just Transition and trade to bring together civil society organisations, trade unions, Indigenous and feminist groups, and policymakers from both regions. The event was organised with the support of Oficina Internacional de Derechos Humanos – Acción Colombia (OIDHACO) and in collaboration with a diverse group of LAC CSOs.

It served as a platform to present and discuss our joint declaration for a Just Transition bi-regional partnership, outlining concrete demands for EU–LAC trade relations that prioritise human rights, labour standards, and environmental justice.  The event combined expert analysis of EU–LAC trade dynamics, testimonies from affected communities, and political dialogue with policymakers.

Read the declaration, developed by SOLIDAR in collaboration with key EU and LAC stakeholders.

The event concluded with a reception to foster networking among participants.

For more information about this conference, please do not hesitate to contact Luis Sáez Jiménez, FEPS Project Officer (luis.saez@feps-europe.eu) or Chloé Deffet, Policy Analyst on Climate and Environment (chloe.deffet@feps-europe.eu).