Priorities first: EU's relations with Latin America under the Spanish Presidency of the EU

This paper will address the main topics to be explored by the Spanish Presidency of the EU in the second semester of 2023 when it comes to relations with Latin America, and whether concrete achievements in this area may be reached given the EU’s current internal and external challenges. I argue that in order to succeed in fostering a ‘Qualitative Leap’ to EU-LAC relations, Spanish leadership will need to adjust their inter-regional ambitions according to not only the resistance of certain Member States and EU institutions to progress in certain themes and agreements with LAC countries, but also to the EU’s emerging policy priorities, such as the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and the emerging of rivalry relations with China, which has become a top commercial partner for most of LAC countries. Three topics should be considered high priorities for EU-LAC relations during the Spanish Presidency: the conclusion of association and modernization agreements with key actors in the region, namely Chile, Mercosur and Mexico; the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela; and the energy crisis and EU prospective partnerships with LAC in this area