Chile is a strategic partner of the EU in South America and the first country in the region with which the EU signed an Association Agreement. In December 2023, Chile and the European Union signed an Advanced Framework Agreement (AFA) that modernises the Association Agreement, which has been in effect since 2003.

Since Chile has been classified as a high-income country since 2012, cooperation with Chile is mainly carried out through global and regional thematic programmes. These are funded through the Neighbourhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, covering the period 2021-2027. This tool allows for comprehensive and flexible cooperation with high-income countries. Thus, Chile participates in EU global and regional programmes in areas such as governance and human rights, climate change, sustainable growth and jobs, digitalisation, science and technology, education, and culture.

Through its Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) and the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the EU supports projects in Chile or of a regional nature in other fields of cooperation. The projects led by ECHO focus in Chile on two key areas: migration and forced displacement, and disaster preparedness and risk reduction. In the area of migration and forced displacement, ECHO works closely with the UNHCR and UNICEF. Furthermore, in the context of the wildfires that have severely affected Chile in 2023 and 2024, ECHO has coordinated emergency assistance and expertise through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Finally, activities coordinated by the FPI seeks to contribute to the stability in countries, providing support in times of crisis and fostering security, peace and justice. In Chile, this has taken the form of regional project on disinformation or support related to the climate crisis.

The European Union and Chile collaborate in the design and implementation of public policies in areas such as climate change, social cohesion, security, and the fight against organised crime.

Some examples of Chile's participation in EU global and regional thematic programmes include:

Under the framework of Euroclima, initiatives have been implemented for the development of climate governance in Chile, as well as sectoral projects on disaster risk management and reduction, urban mobility, energy efficiency, and renewable energies.

Thanks to Eurosocial, the EU has supported more than 15 Ministries and State Institutions in the design, reform, and implementation of social, governance, and gender policies and reforms. Chile is the country of the region that has participated the most in this programme: with more than 60 actions implemented in the country.

EL PAcCTO promotes the exchange of experiences and best between the EU and Latin America to address the threat of transnational organised crime. Other programmes in which Chile participates and that aims at addressing the nexus between security are Glacy, on cybercrime; Copolad III, on anti-drug policies; EUROFRONT, on border management, and CRIMARIO on maritime cooperation.

Chile also participates in the Alliance for Triangular Cooperation between the EU, Latin America, and the Caribbean to achieve the 2030 Agenda through the Adelante 2 programme.

The EU's cooperation with Chile is also framed within the EU's “Global Gateway” strategy. This strategy aims to foster smart, sustainable, and secure connections with partner countries in sectors such as digital, climate change and renewable energy, transportation, health, education, and research.

The Team Europe Initiative (TEI) for the development of renewable hydrogen in Chile seeks to promote technical and technological cooperation, facilitate business collaboration, and provide financing for renewable hydrogen projects, thereby contributing to the European Green Deal and strengthening EU-Chile relations in the field of renewable energy. The Team Europe RH2 Project is a key component of this initiative. To channel financing for the development of renewable hydrogen (RH2) production and usage projects, a Global Gateway RH2 Financing Platform was also created with a budget of 216 million euros.

The HARU ONI project is also included: the first synthetic fuels project in Chile. This project, supported by the German initiative H2Global, will implement cutting-edge European technology to obtain green hydrogen from water using wind energy and produce methanol through a synthesis process.

The Memorandum of Understanding on establishing a partnership between the EU and Chile on sustainable value chains for critical raw materials seeks to strengthen cooperation in sustainable value chains for raw materials necessary for the digital and clean energy transition. It also aims to develop a competitive and sustainable industry for raw material transformation and to enhance local added value in the mining sector by creating quality jobs and generating sustainable and inclusive economic growth for the benefit of both parties.

The Copernicus Regional Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CopLAC-CHILE) will provide services for the storage, processing, and distribution of Copernicus data in the region. This project is part of the European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Digital Alliance, which promotes a human-centered digital transformation. Chile also participates in other relevant initiatives of the Digital Alliance, including regional projects on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The EU implements programmes with civil society an non-State actors on issues such as human rights, gender equality and women's rights, climate change, economic, social, and cultural rights of indigenous peoples, child protection, integration of people with disabilities, citizen participation, and social cohesion. The EU also supports networks of civil society organizations to promote citizen participation in decision-making processes, such as the constitutional process or the Presidential Commission for Peace and Understanding.

Normally, this support is provided through periodic calls for proposals open to different civil society organisations. In June 2023, a new call for project proposals was opened for the funding lines "Support to Civil Society Organizations" (CSO) and "Human Rights and Democracy" (HR&D), aimed at contributing to the effective participation of civil society and the defense of human rights and democracy. Six new projects were funded as a result of this call, in addition to three ongoing projects from the previous call.

Thematic Line - Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

• Fundación Colunga: "FARO Project: Strengthening Networks of Civil Society Organizations for Public Advocacy in Childhood." For more information, click here.
• Fundación Sol: "Popular Observation Platforms: Articulating Social and Union Alliances to Imagine a Just Transition." For more information, click here.
• Agrupación de Ingenieros Forestales del Bosque Nativo: "Bosquentrama Project: Citizen Observatory of Forests and Forestry Policies." For more information, click here.
• ONG CETSUR: "Strengthening Civil Society Organizations for Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Territorial Development." For more information, click here.
• Fiscalía del Medio Ambiente: "Articulation and Strengthening of Civil Society for Its Involvement and Participation in the Protection of Human and Environmental Rights in the Context of Business Activity in Chile." For more information, click here.

Thematic Line - Human Rights and Democracy (HR&D)

• Cooperazione Internazionale Sud-Sud and CODEPU: "NEWÉN Project: New Tools, Participation Spaces, and Methodologies for Human Rights." For more information, click here.
• WWF Chile: "Promoting the Human Right of Communities to Water and a Healthy Environment in the Valdivia River Basin through Nature-Based Solutions and Good Governance in the Context of Climate Change." This project, implemented by WWF Chile, began in December 2022 and works with local communities on forest restoration in the Valdivia River basin. For more information, click here.
• Fundación AVINA: "Periplo Chile Project: Labor Rights of Migrant Workers in the Fruit Sector in Chile." For more information, click here.
• Observatorio Ciudadano: "Promotion and Support of Mapuche Advocacy in the Recognition of Their Right to Land in the Context of the Commission for Peace and Understanding." For more information, click here.
• International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA): "Support to the Chilean Congress for a More Transparent, Inclusive, Accessible, and Accountable Legislative Process." For more information, click here.