10th Argentina – European Union Joint Committee Meeting

The tenth Argentina – European Union Joint Committee Meeting was held this 20 March in Buenos Aires after almost seven years. The Argentine delegation was headed by the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Gustavo Zlauvinen, while the EU delegation was headed by the Managing Director for Americas for the European External Action Service, Edita Hrdá.

Argentina and the EU currently maintain strong, multifaceted and deep bilateral relations with a great potential, reflected in a positive and broad agenda. Last year’s advances represent remarkable achievements, including the reactivation of high-profile visits, such as President Macri’s visit to Brussels last July, and High Representative Federica Mogherini’s and President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz’s visits to Buenos Aires, among others. Last year, bilateral relations were deepened and strengthened, contributing to the creation of a full cooperation environment.

The tenth Joint Committee Meeting ratifies this year’s progress, which shows in the negotiation of agreements and the exchange of experience and projects on human rights, gender, world drug problem, security and defense, science and technology, regional development, environment and climate change, public diplomacy, immigration, cooperation in special programs (Copernicus), security and disaster management. It is worth noting the establishment of a Dialogue on Information Society and Telecommunications and a Dialogue on the Defense of Free Competition, as well as the reopening of a Dialogue on Energy and the updating of the Dialogue on Macroeconomics and Finance. The European Investment Bank informed it is available to implement various projects, such as financing for small and medium-sized companies, water purification services and residue treatment.

As regards cooperation, the work undertaken in various areas (environment, security, justice, human rights, gender, education) was reviewed and future courses of action were defined. Advances in ongoing Regional Cooperation Programs and the relaunch of the EUROSOCIAL Program were highlighted. In addition, potential main items for implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on International Cooperation were identified.

The topics addressed at the meeting included items on the international agenda on which there were coinciding views and active cooperation at multilateral forums.

The full agenda and the productive exchanges of the Meeting evidenced how rich and deep bilateral relations are. The Meeting was a good opportunity to note mutual interests, draw up an inventory of the richness of current relations and agree on future courses of action.

The parties welcomed the growth of the relations in terms of complexity and maturity, and agreed on the need to reflect on a framework for the relations in the future.

 Press Release: Nº082/17

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