EU-CELAC Working Group
EU-CELAC Working Group on Research Infrastructure
The EU-CELAC Working Group on Research Infrastructures (WG RI) was officially created in March 2017, highlighting the importance of Research Infrastructures (RI) as one of three strategic pillars of the EU-CELAC Common Research Area (CRA).
At the moment many actions were taken to support policy coordination and the exchange of information to mobilise and strengthen RI cooperation between both regions, as 9th meetings to discuss with the participants different relevant topics as open data, sustainability, knowledge valorisation, organizational modes and a closer alignment with the ICRI topics.
Co-chaired by the European Commission and Uruguay
Composed by representatives of the EU and LAC Ministers
EU Member States represented by national delegates: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. In Latin America and the Caribbean currently 19 countries are members of the Working Group: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Meets at least once a year to decide future steps
First: Throughout 2023, the EU-LAC Foundation orchestrates a dynamic series of bi-regional events aimed at fostering collaboration and addressing key issues. These include significant gatherings such as the EU-LAC Forum with Civil Society, Local Authorities, and Youth, the EU-LAC Business Round Table, and the III EU-CELAC Summit of Heads of State and Government, all held in Brussels. Additionally, meetings such as the High-level meeting of the CELAC-EU Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs in Barcelona, and the Ministerial bi-regional meeting on security and internal affairs in Brussels, contribute to enhancing cooperation between the EU and CELAC countries on critical matters. These events serve as pivotal platforms for dialogue, cooperation, and policy formulation between the regions.
The EU-LAC Foundation organizes a diverse range of meetings and dialogues covering various thematic areas. These include the Multi-Actor Dialogue Forum on Higher Education, Gender Equality, Green and Digital Transitions, and Social Cohesion in San José, Costa Rica, and the High-level event on “Health regulatory frameworks” gathering regulatory agencies from the EU and LAC. Furthermore, the Foundation hosts gatherings focusing on space policies, research and innovation initiatives, and connectivity policies, all geared towards fostering collaboration and advancing mutual interests between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean countries.
In 2024 and 2025, the EU-LAC Foundation orchestrates an array of bi-regional events aimed at fostering collaboration. These include Board of Governors meetings, the EU-LAC Business Summit emphasizing circular economy, and the EU-LAC High-Level Digital Policy Dialogue alongside the eLAC Ministerial, in collaboration with EU-CLAC, to advance digital cooperation. Other events feature the EU-Latin American Convention on Raw Materials, European and Latin American and Caribbean Youth Film Week highlighting gender and diversity, and high-level meetings on Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, and Health Self-Sufficiency. Additionally, gatherings like the IV Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers EU-CELAC, the 16th EUROLAT Plenary Meeting, and the IV CELAC-EU Summit of Heads of State and Government bolster dialogue and cooperation across the regions.
EU-LAC ResInfra Plus gives support to the WG RI in the development of a stable framework of cooperation and a realistic roadmap that will impact on the internationalisation of RI from both regions.