On 4 May 2026, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ), in Berlin, hosted the first meeting of the national focal points of the EU–LAC Bi-regional Care Pact. The meeting—organised by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, with the support of the Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC (Uruguay), the EU–LAC Foundation, TEI Inclusive Societies, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia—brought together representatives from fifteen Member States of the European Union and fourteen countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that are part of the Pact.
The meeting marked the formal launch of the Pact’s implementation. In this context, the working methods and coordination mechanisms of the Network of National Focal Points were agreed, and the priorities for its agenda for the period 2026–2027 were jointly defined.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss initial proposals and possible funding avenues, as well as to agree on modalities for the participation of non-governmental stakeholders and specialised institutions. It further addressed issues such as the coherence and complementarity of the Pact with other international instruments in the field of care, and potential mechanisms for the participation of additional actors in this forum, reaffirming the intention to position it as an innovative benchmark for bi-regional cooperation.
Participants in the first meeting of the Pact also attended the EU–LAC Multi-Stakeholder Forum on the challenges of long-term care in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, organised by the EU–LAC Foundation on 5 May 2026 in Berlin.
A milestone in bi-regional cooperation
The inaugural meeting of the Care Pact in Berlin marked the first concrete step towards the implementation of this pioneering mechanism for bi-regional cooperation in the social sphere. By placing people’s well-being, dignity and equality at the centre of EU–LAC relations, the Pact reflects the shared determination of both regions to address together the challenges of a care economy undergoing profound transformation.
The Pact was adopted on 9 November 2025, in the framework of the IV CELAC–EU Summit held in Santa Marta, Colombia, as one of its main outcomes. It is an informal, voluntary cooperation mechanism open to all countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union, establishing a permanent forum for dialogue and cooperation on the legal, social and economic dimensions of care systems. The initial participating States include the 27 EU Member States and 17 LAC countries (Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay).
The Pact responds to shared challenges faced by both regions: a growing demand for care driven by population ageing—by 2050, 25% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean will be aged 60 or over, equivalent to around 193 million people, according to projections by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); in the EU, around 33% of the population will exceed that age—and the persistent unequal distribution of care work, which continues to fall disproportionately on women. The Pact builds on the momentum generated by the European Care Strategy, the Buenos Aires Commitment, the Tlatelolco Commitment and other international commitments in this field.
The Bi-regional Care Pact is the result of years of joint work between governments, civil society, and regional and international organisations from both regions. The inaugural meeting in Berlin opened a new stage: that of concrete implementation. The EU–LAC Foundation is fully committed to accompanying this process, facilitating dialogue between national focal points and ensuring that the voices of civil society, academia and other sectors are present at every step along the way.” — Alberto Brunori, Executive Director, EU–LAC Foundation
First meeting of the national focal points of the EU–LAC Bi-regional Care Pact.
