"Let's take the opportunity of the June summit to strengthen ties with Latin American and Caribbean countries," say leading S&D MEPs

Only a few weeks ahead of the second EU-CELAC summit to be held in Brussels on 10-11 June 2015 - with 61 heads of state, Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have stressed the relevance of this meeting during a plenary debate held in Strasbourg.
 
This summit is an opportunity to strengthen common projects shared by both continents. The S&D Group want closer political, social and commercial ties, and they also want trade relations to contribute to social progress, with the highest respect for human rights and for the environment.
 
Ramón Jáuregui MEP, who co-chairs the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (Eurolat), said:
 
"There is a real risk that Europe will lag behind. In fact, China is increasing its investments in the region and opening new trade agreements with most of the Latin American countries. It should be no surprise that models based on regional and interregional dialogue, such as the Pacific Alliance, have become increasingly important for our Latin American friends. In the meantime, Europe loses economic weight and political influence in a continent to which we are linked by very important historical, cultural and political ties. 
 
"The upcoming summit should be an opportunity to move forward in our trade agreements with Latin American states; also to help Colombia in its peace process; to launch agreements between the EU and Cuba, and to recover relations between these two partners; to improve cooperation with Central America and more generally, to reinforce strategic links for the big global challenges, such as climate change, the agenda for development after 2015, financial rules and tax coordination among others."
 
Carlos Zorrinho MEP, who is the S&D spokesperson for Eurolat, added:
 
"The reinforcement of political relations between the EU and the CELAC is an opportunity to rebalance the links between large economic and political blocs globally, approaching territorial spaces connected by a common history and values with very strong humanist roots."