EU–LAC Foundation


The European Union – Latin America and Caribbean Foundation is an international organisation, established under public international law. The Foundation was entrusted with the mission of strengthening the bi-regional partnership between the European Union and its member states and the Latin America and Caribbean States, enhancing mutual understanding and visibility among both regions and fostering active participation of the respective civil societies. Established in 2010 by the Heads of State and Government of the 61 member states and the EU, the EU-LAC Foundation coordinates and implements result-oriented initiatives in support of bi-regional relations.

History

During the fifth European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean Summit, held in Lima on 16 May 2008, the initiative towards the creation of a bi-regional organisation was launched by the Heads of State and Government of LAC and the EU.
At the sixth EU-LAC Summit, held in Madrid on 18 May 2010, the decision on the creation of the EU-LAC Foundation was launched by the Heads of State and Government of the EU and LAC, the President of the European Council and the President of the Commission. The Foundation was created "as a useful tool for strengthening our bi-regional partnership and as a means of triggering debate on common strategies and actions".
The EU-Foundation formally began operating in November 2011. Its headquarters are in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The Foundation was established and started operating with a transitory status as foundation under the German civil law
The Agreement establishing the EU-LAC Foundation as an international organisation with legal personality under public international law was opened for signature during the CELAC and EU Foreign Ministers Meeting in Santo Domingo the 25th of October 2016 and entered into force on May 17th 2019.

Members

The Foundation consists of 61 members: 33 member states from Latin America and the Caribbean, 27 member states from the European Union as well as the EU itself.

Latin American and Caribbean Members

EU Members

Objectives and Activities

The objectives of the Foundation are:
In order to achieve these objectives the EU-LAC Foundation undertakes several initiatives in the following thematic areas:
  1. Higher Education and Knowledge
  2. Science, Technology and Innovation
  3. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Employment and Competitiveness
  4. Sustainable Development and Climate Change
  6. Civil Society

    Structure

The EU-LAC Foundation’s structure comprises the board of governors, the president and the executive director.

Board of Governors

The EU-LAC Foundation’s board of governors oversees the management of the Foundation and ensures that the Foundation is working towards its goals. The board of governors has 62 members representing each of the members of the EU-LAC Foundation. The board of governors meets at least twice a year and is co-chaired by the CELAC and EU presidencies.

President

Every four years, the board of governors selects an ad-honorem president, who has mainly representation functions. The president’s office alternates between a national of an EU member state and a national of a Latin American or Caribbean state. If the appointed president comes from an EU member state, the appointed executive director is a natural from a Latin American or Caribbean state, and vice versa.
The executive direction manages the EU-LAC Foundation and is its legal representative. The board of governors appoints the executive director every four years  on the basis of the recommendation of the regional group to which the seat of executive director corresponds in that period. If the appointed executive director comes from an EU member state, the appointed president is a natural from a Latin American or Caribbean state, and vice versa.
The Foundation is mainly financed by its members. Contributions are made on a voluntary basis. The board of governors, respecting the bi-regional balance, may consider other financing modalities of the activities of the Foundation.