Latin America and the Caribbean: Adopted EU-LAC Joint Declaration on a Digital Alliance, including a commitment to collaborate on Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT)

On 17 July 2023, the European Commission has published the EU-LAC Joint Declaration on a Digital Alliance. The European Union (EU) and a group of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries have established the EU-LAC Digital Alliance to deepen their partnership in the digital domain. This informal framework aims to facilitate cooperation and dialogue between governments, agencies, and other stakeholders from both regions. The Alliance focuses on various digital areas, including policy dialogue, internet governance, data governance, connectivity, security, artificial intelligence, digital trade, and space-related activities. It promotes shared values such as human rights, privacy protection, inclusivity, and sustainable development. The Alliance will organize regular meetings at different levels and work towards closing digital gaps and fostering an equitable digital economy. Implementation involves periodic dialogues, investment agendas, and flagship initiatives, such as extending the BELLA fiber-optic cable, implementing a regional Copernicus Strategy, and establishing a digital accelerator. Progress will be reviewed annually.