Speech at High-Level siminar at the European Parliament on the Partnership between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean

Check against delivery!Ladies and gentlemen,Honourable Members of the European Parliament,Esteemed representatives of Latin America and the Caribbean,Distinguished colleagues,The next decade will shape the rest of the century. In fact right now it feels like the next few days could do this too. The world is very uncertain. It is shaped by war, economic volatility, competition, a rejection of global norms and rules, and the looming threat of climate change. In this context, isolation may be tempting for some. To put up barriers as protection and tell yourself that you don’t need the rest of the world. This is not the European way. We know from experience that we are stronger when we do things together. To face the challenges ahead, be it the security of our societies, the defence of our territorial integrity, the future of AI or climate change, we need to work together. This starts with partners and allies who share common interests and values. The strength of the EU-LAC relationship comes from a common history of deep ties between our peoples. We share a commitment to values that are not only European but universal: democracy, human rights, and the rules-based international order. We also share a belief in pursuing our own interests, while making the very best of our partnerships too. In Europe we call it strategic autonomy. In Latin America and the Caribbean you call it sovereignty. But we mean the same thing. We don’t want dependencies. We don’t believe in spheres of...