Visiting Santiago in Chile on Tuesday 30 May, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini underscored the EU's resolve to strengthen its political and economic ties with Chile through updating their 2002 association agreement and through enhanced cooperation in sectors of the future, such as Space policy.
"Chile and the EU share the same vision on key issues such as the promotion of peace, democracy and the respect of human rights. We are partners who contribute to the multilateral system and work together to achieve the sustainable development agenda, in the fight against climate change and the protection of our oceans", Mogherini said at the end of a meeting with Chile's Foreign Affairs Minister Heraldo Muñoz.
Mogherini thus hailed the signing of a framework agreement facilitating Chile's participation in the EU's crisis management operations. She also hailed Santiago's "continued support" for the EU mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In addition, Mogherini highlighted bilateral cooperation on regional issues in Latin America through "intensive" political dialogue, and cooperation on a wide range of issues covering gender equality, trade and investment, and research.
Underlining a common vision for free trade and for "excellent" bilateral relations based on the 2002 association agreement, Mogherini said that the EU and Chile wanted to strengthen their economic relations further through the updating of this agreement.
She confirmed the European Commission's adoption of the proposed mandate for negotiations with Chile to update the association agreement. In Brussels on Tuesday, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström announced that the Commission hoped to obtain a mandate from the EU Council "at the start of summer" in order to begin negotiating with Chile "in the autumn".
Mogherini underlined the "great potential" in many areas that lends itselfs to enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in the Space domain.
"Chile has the necessary conditions for developing a top level Space policy and the EU wants to be its ally in this. Cooperation on Space issues, including the transfer of technology and training, or big EU programmes like Copernicus or Galileo, thus offer great potential for being placed as a central element in our future relations", she said, also calling for the promotion of science exchanges and programmes for young people.
On Tuesday morning, Mogherini had an exchange of views with Chile's President Michelle Bachelet on the situation in Europe and Chile, the next EU-Latin America and Caribbean summit (in El Salvador in October) and international issues. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)