Mitteilungen

Javi López, Co-President of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (Eurolat), warmly welcomed and stressed the strategic relevance of the Parliament's Bureau decision to open a European Parliament (EP) office in Panama City.

The decision to open this office in Latin America and the Caribbean shows the importance that this region holds for the European Parliament and reaffirms the commitment to continue promoting and strengthening the bi-regional Strategic Partnership based on common principles, values and interests, where the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) plays an essential role.

This decision is part of efforts to strengthen the parliamentary dimension in the EU's external representations and in particular in multilateral parliamentary assemblies and international organisations. EP offices abroad are key to building relationships, publicising the Parliament's work, and exchanging knowledge and best practices.

Panama City is also the seat of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) a regional, permanent and unicameral body, composed of the national parliaments of the region. In addition, Panama is a key regional hub where EuroLat Assembly meetings have frequently taken place.

With this decision, the European Parliament deepens its linkage and commitment to the rest of the world and the external action of the European Union. In addition, in a world of high geopolitical competition, the opening of Parliament's office in Panama underlines the strategic importance of the relationship with Latin America, an ally with a high degree of complementarity and with which the Union shares the strong defence of an inclusive rules-based multilateral order.

Background

The decision to open an EP office in Latin America and the Caribbean was announced during the III EU-CELAC Summit held in Brussels on 17 and 18 July with the participation of Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament and Javi López and Oscar Darío Pérez, co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat).

At its meeting of Monday 16 January 2024, the Bureau of the European Parliament ratified this announcement and designated Panama City as its seat.

The Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) is the parliamentary institution of the European Union's Bi-Regional Strategic Partnership - Latin America and the Caribbean. The Assembly is made up of 150 Members, where half-75 - belong to the European Parliament and the other half - 75 - come from the regional parliaments of Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Parlatino.

The declaration of the III EU-CELAC Summit adopted by more than 60 EU and Latin American and Caribbean leaders recognised the constructive work of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) and highlights parliamentary diplomacy as an important aspect of the bi-regional relationship.

Joint statement on the illegal storming of democratic institutions in Brazil

Lead MEPs condemn Sunday's violent storming of the Congress, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court of Justice in Brasilia by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Chair of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister (EPP, DE), Chair of the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly Javi López (S&D, ES), Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Federative Republic of Brazil José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, PT) and Chair of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur Jordi Cañas (Renew, ES), stated:

"We strongly condemn yesterday's violent and illegal storming of the Congress, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court of Justice in Brasilia by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro. This was an inacceptable and heinous attack on the heart of Brazilian democracy, whose perpetrators and instigators must be punished with the full force of the law.

We express our full solidarity with the Brazilian Congress, the government of President Lula da Silva and all other democratic institutions in Brazil. It is one of the fundamental principles of democracies that results of fair and transparent elections must be respected, and any attempt to overturn them through violent acts must be firmly rejected. We are concerned about the increasing acts of political violence by extremist supporters of Brazil's former president, which directly promote speeches and actions that move to confrontation, hatred, radicalization and even crime. We call on all parties to do everything possible to overcome this dangerous situation and urgently adopt measures to prevent these acts from happening again while bringing those responsible to justice."

The Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), Óscar Darío Pérez, Member of the Colombian House of Representatives and Andean Parliament, and Javi López, Member of the European Parliament, pursuant to Article 18 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure and on the occasion of the Fourteenth Ordinary Plenary Session held on 11-14 April 2022 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, hereby:

1. Welcome the virtual meeting held on 2 December 2021 between the leaders of the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean under the slogan 'Joining forces for a sustainable post-COVID recovery', which has given renewed impetus to revitalising and strengthening dialogue and cooperation between the two regions. Emphasise support for the production and distribution of vaccines in Latin America and the Caribbean, the mobilisation of funding to support a long-term recovery and designation of the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss as an absolute priority for both regions.

2. Insist that this should be a step towards a full resumption of top-level political dialogue between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean. Accordingly reiterate their call for an EU-CELAC bi-regional summit to be organised as soon as circumstances allow, setting out the objectives, priorities and a strategy to tackle common challenges, accompanied by a specific action plan.

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Declaration by the Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) of 6 May 2021 on increased EU-LAC cooperation with a view to the equitable and fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines

The Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), Óscar Darío Pérez, Member of the Colombian House of Representatives and Andean Parliament, and Javi López, Member of the European Parliament, pursuant to Article 18of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure and on the occasion of the ordinary meetings of the Assembly's bodies held from 3 to 6 May 2021 in Brussels, Belgium, hereby:

1. Reiterate their deep concern about the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected millions of people over the past 14 months, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives on both our continents and sparking an economic crisis that has crippled employment and productivity and exacerbated social problems such as poverty, malnutrition and hunger, gender violence, paternal-filial violence and child abuse. Stress the importance of public and universal health systems as a means of ensuring a comprehensive response to this pandemic.

2. Congratulate countries making progress with their mass vaccination drives and note that the increasing availability of vaccines and the intensification of campaigns constitute a decisive step towards overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic, adding that providing universal and equitable access to high-quality, safe and effective vaccines thus constitutes an urgent priority. Call, therefore, on all states and governments to secure universal, free access to vaccines without undue delay, and to pursue transparent vaccination strategies that are underpinned by scientific and ethical criteria, giving priority to protecting the most vulnerable groups. Underline that the pandemic knows no geographical borders, merely social borders grounded in poverty and marginalisation; only by working together, at the global level, to promote multilateral solutions in a spirit of solidarity, equality and fairness will we be able to vanquish it.

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COMMUNIQUÉ BY THE CO-PRESIDENCY OF THE EURO-LATIN AMERICAN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY (EUROLAT) ON ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF EU-27 AND LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (LAC)

On the occasion of our participation as observers in the informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), organised physically and virtually in Berlin on 14 December by the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and the German Presidency of the Council, we hereby state the following:

The Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) Co-Presidents endorse the conclusions of the deliberations of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the EU-27 and LAC, which call for post-COVID-19 relations between our regions to take the form of a reinforced, innovative partnership based on common interests and values to pave the way for a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery, bringing digital technologies to bear for the benefit of all, and with a view to meeting the challenges of climate change.

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Declaration of the Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat) on a comprehensive and bi-regional EU-LAC strategy to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, of 5 November 2020

The Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), the President of the Latin American Parliament Jorge Pizarro and Javi López, MEP, in accordance with Article 18 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure and on the occasion of the 13th ordinary plenary session of the Assembly held from 4 to 5 November 2020 in Brussels, Belgium:

1. Note that the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed nearly one million lives in the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean; that it has led to unprecedented economic losses; and that it has a profound negative impact on the employment, education, poverty, health, inequality and living conditions of our citizens.

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Nueva presidencia del BID: copresidentes de EuroLat piden aplazar la elección

Comunicado conjunto del eurodiputado Javi López (S&D, España) y el presidente del Parlamento Latinoamericano, Jorge Esteban Pizarro, copresidentes de la Asamblea parlamentaria EuroLat:

"El continente americano está sufriendo los efectos devastadores de la pandemia decovid-19 y aún no se pueden aventurar ni el momento ni el modo en que AméricaLatina y el Caribe podrán emprender la ingente tarea de reconstrucción económica ysocial postcovid. Sin embargo, estimamos que dicha tarea requerirá políticas dedesarrollo y cooperación basadas en el multilateralismo.

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The Co-Presidents of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), the President of the Latin American Parliament, Jorge Pizarro, and Javi López MEP, hereby declare, pursuant to Rule 18 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure, the following on the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic is probably the greatest challenge the internationalcommunity has faced since the Second World War, with unpredictable consequencesfor human health and the economic and social systems in all the countries of Europeand Latin America and the Caribbean. We therefore urge national authorities torigorously apply and comply with international standards, and express our support tothe World Organisation (WHO), in its efforts to combat the pandemic.
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COMUNICADO DE LA COPRESIDENCIA DE EUROLAT EN RELACIÓN A LA PANDEMIA DEL COVID-19

Los CoPresidentes de la Asamblea Parlamentaria Eurolatinoamericana (EuroLat), en sustento de los propósitos y objetivos establecidos en la Alianza Estratégica Birregional, de manera conjunta comunicamos las siguientes consideraciones y decisiones a objeto de contribuir en la batalla mundial contra la pandemia del Covid-19.

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EuroLat: serious concern about migration and support to multilateral trade

The worsening migration situation in Latin America and Europe worries parliamentarians in both regions, who also warn against increasing trade protectionism.

In a joint declaration on the occasion of the twelfth plenary session of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), the two co-presidents of the assembly, Javi López (S&D, Spain) and Jorge Pizarro, insist that inequality "is the main challenge our democracies are facing" and point to the growing distrust in politicians and the subsequent rise of populism and nationalism.
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