The EU-LAC Foundation organised the EU-LAC Seminar “Advancing the Whole-of-Society Approach in Cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean in the Fight against Transnational Organised Crime” as part of the European Crime Fighting Week in Brussels.
The event brought together representatives from governments, civil society, academia, the private sector, local communities and international organisations from both regions with the aim of strengthening bi-regional cooperation in addressing the challenges posed by transnational organised crime, drug trafficking and illicit economies.
The initiative was developed under the principle of common and shared responsibility, promoting comprehensive responses grounded in human rights, the rule of law and the active participation of multiple sectors of society. It took place in the context of the renewed political momentum generated by the 2025 EU–CELAC Summit and the launch of the EU–LAC Alliance for Citizen Security.
Throughout the seminar, participants exchanged experiences, knowledge and good practices on inclusive public policies for preventing and combating illicit economies, as well as on the social impacts these activities have on communities. Discussions also explored progress and opportunities to strengthen existing bi-regional and sub-regional cooperation initiatives.
In the opening session of the seminar, Alberto Brunori, Executive Director of the EU-LAC Foundation, highlighted the need to deepen cooperation between the two regions:
“The growing challenges in the field of citizen security require joint, comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategies. Addressing them must be grounded in the principles of multilateralism and shared responsibility, within a values-based political framework aimed at fostering effective cooperation among all relevant stakeholders.”
Pelayo Castro, Deputy Managing Director for the Americas at the European External Action Service (EEAS), underscored the political relevance of this agenda for both regions:
“Organised crime is both a political and a public priority. One does not need to open a newspaper to understand that it is a central concern for our societies. It is a phenomenon that is expanding and becoming an increasingly important issue.”
The seminar’s keynote session then addressed some of the main challenges faced by both regions in the areas of citizen security and the fight against transnational organised crime. In his intervention, Carlos Alvarado, former President of Costa Rica and Chair of the Latin American and Caribbean Group on Security and Democracy, warned of the risk that growing demands for responses to insecurity could lead to questioning democratic principles and procedures. In this regard, he stressed the importance of preserving the link between security, democracy and the rule of law as the foundation for building sustainable and legitimate responses.
For his part, Olivier Luyckx, Head of Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean Programmes at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), emphasised that preventing organised crime cannot rest solely with law enforcement agencies or the relevant ministries. He highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach involving frontline actors such as the education system, social services, local authorities, trade unions and other stakeholders with a direct presence in communities and among the most vulnerable groups.
Subsequent sessions explored in greater depth the role played by different social actors in developing more effective and inclusive responses to transnational organised crime. In particular, discussions examined how the private sector and local communities can contribute more actively to a whole-of-society approach in bi-regional cooperation, highlighting their capacity to strengthen prevention efforts, promote legal economic opportunities and enhance the resilience of territories most affected by illicit economies.
The seminar also examined the contribution of academia and civil society organisations to cooperation between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean. Participants highlighted the value of research, evidence generation, public policy innovation and direct engagement with communities in gaining a better understanding of the dynamics of organised crime and its social impacts. The exchanges identified opportunities to strengthen the involvement of these actors in the design, implementation and evaluation of citizen security strategies, thereby consolidating a truly multi-sectoral and people-centred approach.
The interventions reaffirmed one of the seminar’s central messages: transnational challenges require collective responses. Effective cooperation among public institutions, civil society, the private sector, academia and local communities is essential for designing policies that are more inclusive, sustainable and people-centred.