Brussels, Belgium, October 15, 2013. “The widespread appropriation of the EUROCLIMA programme and the interest shown by the beneficiary countries over these years (2010-2013) have lead us to maintain our commitment to implement this second phase, to which the European Union is contributing 10 million EURO (more than 13 million dollars)” stresses José González y González of the European Commission’s General Directorate for Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid.

More than 50 representatives of 17 governments across Latin America have participated actively during EUROCLIMA’s Third Regional Seminar held in Brussels, Belgium, on the 14th and 15th of October. Jan Karremans, Director of Technical Assistance of EUROCLIMA, explained that the funds will be used in the period 2014-2016 in the struggle against climate change: "The actions that will benefit the Programme’s 18 member countries in Latin America, are coordinated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Cooperation and Development - EuropeAid, and will be implemented with the aid of its strategic partners: the European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC), the United Nation’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)." He added that "any funds used successfully in Latin America to mitigate climate change will inevitably be beneficial to the planet as a whole."

Even though several regional meetings take place each year, according to the organizers this seminar is of vital importance. The actions planned for the programme’s new phase are presented in a way that the representatives of each country can comment upon, and it allows them to evaluate whether the proposed objectives and priorities are in line with their national public policies and current needs.

“EUROCLIMA has managed to promote alliances, networks, exchange of know-how and ideas in a way that allows for those countries more experienced in certain topics to inform others on the ground covered and on lessons learned on recommendable best practices, and this will be strengthened further in the second phase” explained Ericka Lucero del Águila of the Guatemalan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Round Table of the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean

On the 16th and 17th of October, also in Brussels, a Round Table took place on “Cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change”. This event brought together more than 150 participants from 30 countries from across Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union’s Member States.

Find herewith links to additional information (videos and photographs)

- Video on the results of EUROCLIMA in its first phase (2010-2013) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi6Bof7qvaQ

- Press Release on the Third Seminar (duration 1 minute 28 seconds) http://youtu.be/h3rEa3W0Z_0

- Interview with Catherine Ghyoot, responsible for the EUROCLIMA programme in the European Commission’s Unit for Regional Programmes for Latin America and the Caribbean http://youtu.be/1bv7xrz7UmQ

- Interview with Paul Oquist, Minister and Private Secretary for National Policy to the Presidency of the Republic of Nicaragua http://youtu.be/mXYaE4hWrX4

- Photo gallery of the event: http://www.euroclima.org/es/servicios-de-informacion/videos-fotos-euroclima/item/952-fotografias-tercer-seminario-regional