EU/LATIN AMERICA : FIRST EU-CELAC SUMMIT IN LATE JANUARY.

• Position: Community of Latin American and Caribbean States - Conference news - Brief article

Over 60 heads of state and government from the European Union and Latin America will gather in Chile, on 26-27 January, to kick-off the first EU-CELAC summit since the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) was created in February 2010.

The summit, which will take place under the theme of Alliance for sustainable development, promoting social and environmental investment', will allow EU representatives to discuss the future of their partnership with the region. According to Chilean officials, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy have already confirmed their participation.

"The issue is how we can utilise foreign investment, which we need for development, while at the same time caring for our environment and being responsible for our communities," Chilean Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno said, on 3 January.

The EU is Latin America's second largest trading partner after the US and its...