Santa Marta, Colombia, November 4, 2025. From November 7 to 10, the LAC-EU Civil Society Forum and the IV CELAC-EU Summit will be held in Santa Marta, Colombia. Both spaces will be a meeting point of high political and diplomatic level, in which the Member States of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) will give continuity to the bi-regional dialogue, reactivated after the III EU-CELAC Summit of 2023. This continued engagement aims to strengthen cooperation between both regions on key issues such as:  trade and investment, mainly, the Global Gateway Investment Agenda; security and the fight against transnational organized crime; climate action, energy transition and digitalization; gender equality, social justice and inclusion; and education, science and technology.  

In this context, the CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group, a confluence of more than 80 networks and platforms from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the European Union (EU), representing more than 2,000 organizations, has, since the 2023 Summit, worked in a coordinated manner to ensure that civil society participation, transparency, and respect for human rights form the foundations of a fair, equitable, and horizontal bi-regional relationship. Building on this work, the Group presents its proposals organized around four fundamental axes: 

"The meaningful participation of civil society in the bi-regional dialogue is essential so that the bi-regional commitments adopted at the Summit do not remain at the institutional level, but reflect the realities of local territories and the needs of the populations most affected by inequalities. What we seek is to engage in a coordinated manner as civil society so that our proposals are effectively incorporated into government agendas," stated the CELAC–EU Civil Society Working Group. 

Since its formation, the CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group has worked to develop proposals and advocate with governments to ensure that the voices of civil society are heard in the decisions that will define the future of cooperation between Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. 

"Including the perspective of civil society in this scenario is key because it not only expands the legitimacy of the Summit, but also allows for the construction of more sustainable policies consistent with the principles of equality and justice shared by both regions," added the CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group. 

Following the Summit, the CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group will continue to follow up on the Santa Marta Declaration 2025 and the Roadmap 2025–2027, documents that will set the course for bi-regional cooperation over the next two years.  

About the CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group 

The CELAC-EU Civil Society Working Group (CELAC-EU CSWG) is a confluence of more than 80 civil society networks and platforms from Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, representing more than 2,000 organisations. Its purpose is to ensure the participation of civil society in bi-regional relations and in the follow-up of the commitments adopted between the two regions. 

This space, formed in 2023, promotes the strengthening and articulation of joint work between EU and LAC organizations; the creation of enabling environments for the meaningful participation of civil society; the defense of civic space and human rights; and the incorporation of feminist, intersectional and intercultural approaches into bi-regional policies. It also promotes the establishment of bi-regional financing mechanisms that strengthen social organisations, especially those working for the defence of local territories, democracy, equality and human rights. 

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