EU development cooperation with Latin America

EU development cooperation with Latin America is mainly conducted through the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) and its different geographical (regional, sub-regional and bilateral) and thematic programmes.

Nevertheless, the 2014-2020 programming period has brought about the introduction of a new blending financial instrument for the region, the Latin American Investment Facility (LAIF), which combines EU grants with other resources. It has also seen the transition of most Latin American countries away from being eligible for bilateral DCI development aid and towards their inclusion instead in EU bilateral cooperation through the new Partnership Instrument (PI). This poses a series of new challenges but, simultaneously, offers new opportunities by opening cooperation to other areas and sectors.

The European Parliament has a strong involvement in the issues concerning development cooperation. Since 2012, it has adopted a number of resolutions on the topic: one defining a new form of development cooperation with Latin America, another calling for increasing the effectiveness of development cooperation, and a third on achieving policy coherence and enhancing the role of local authorities.

Author: Enrique Gómez Ramírez