Overview
Argentina, with a population of around 47 million, has strong historical and cultural ties with the EU and it is also an important economic partner. In recent years, structural macroeconomic fragility, serious financial turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemic have had significant economic and social consequences.
While Argentina is an upper-middle income country, and therefore does not receive bilateral financial allocation, it remains eligible to access funding through thematic budget lines and regional programmes for Latin America and Caribbean.
Our partnership
The EU supports Argentina towards sustainable and inclusive development actions in line with the Global Gateway Strategy.
Several initiatives and potential investments have been identified under the Global Gateway Investment Agenda for Argentina promoting the green transition and renewable energy supply, including projects on infrastructure (waste management) and strengthening electricity transmission. Another priority is the Digitalisation Agenda.
In this context, two Team Europe Initiatives (TEI) have been developed in close collaboration with Member States: TEI on Green Investments and Sustainable Value Chains focusing on environment, climate change and sustainable agriculture; as well as the TEI on Digi tal transition to support the implementation of Argentina’s Digital Agenda and the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.
€40 million have been earmarked for cooperation with Argentina for the 2021-2027 period.
EU-Argentinian partnership documents can be found in the 'Related documents' section below.
Our key initiatives
- Critical raw materials
The EU has partnered with Argentina on promoting resilient lithium and copper value chains covering project pipeline development, responsible operations (water efficiency, low-carbon mining), research and skills trainings in those domains.
- Green hydrogen
Argentina and the EU are working together to improve the investment climate around green hydrogen, including strengthening its overall governance, building out research networks, developing skills trainings, and working with local communities.
- Private sector
The EU works with Argentina to recreate conditions for investment and forge new economic partnerships, amongst others through bilateral chambers of commerce and business fora. We jointly promote trade and investment relations, as well as technical and legal support to EU companies looking to finalise trade and investments in Global Gateway priority sectors.
- Biodiversity protection
Our cooperation focuses on protecting biodiversity in the Gran Chaco region. This encompasses forest management, sustainable farming, promoting new business models, and promoting carbon credit projects and biodiversity bonds.
- Agricultural green transition
We cooperate on developing the circular economy practices of smallholders and sustainable food-production clusters. They are also boosting the management of community kitchens and strengthening local sustainable food supply networks, linking the kitchens to the smallholders.
- Sustainable waste management
Cooperation in this domain focuses on the Jujuy province, where the EU and Argentina are integrating municipal solid waste management and bio-energy.
- Sustainable mobility
The EU and Argentina are developing Argentina’s e-mobility and railways, increasing EU investment and access to public contracts while promoting the EU’s technical standards.
- Security, justice, and peace
The EU is providing technical assistance on the fighting organised transnational crime, integrating border management, and working on drug-related policies.
