Brussels, 16/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - Chris Patten will be on visit from 19 to 23 January in Brazil (19 and 20), Colombia (21 and 22) and Ecuador (22 and 23). On the occasion of this visit, the European Commissioner for External Relations will meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. He will also meet different ministers of each of the three countries visited, the Foreign Ministers of the Andean Pact and the heads of all the EU delegations in Latin America. Discussions will be geared to a broad range of themes including bilateral relations between Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, on one hand, and the EU, on the other; EU/Mercosur relations; prospects of relations between the EU and the Andean Pact following the signing last December of a new agreement on cooperation and political dialogue between the two regions; and the peace process in Colombia. Mr Patten's visit comes within the process of preparing the third Summit between the EU and the Latin American and Caribbean countries, to be held during May in Guadalajara (Mexico). With his interlocutors, the Commissioner will stress the advantages that Latin America can expect if it strengthens its regional integration process, and the importance of enhancing the region's social cohesion as a way to consolidate democracy and increase economic prosperity. On the eve of Mr Patten's visit, the Commission, moreover, decided to make EUR 250 million available for funding cooperation actions in the various Latin American countries.