Overview
Mexico, with a population of over 129 million, is the second-largest economy in Latin America and a key political and economic actor in the region.
The country combines an advanced industrial base with vast natural resources and a rich cultural heritage. While Mexico faces challenges such as inequality, climate vulnerability, and security concerns, it remains committed to sustainable and inclusive growth, regional integration, and strengthening its role in global trade and climate action.
Our partnership
The EU partners with Mexico to foster sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development, strengthening shared commitments on climate action, social inclusion, innovation, and the rule of law.
As part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the partnership focuses on three key priorities: green global challenges, social cohesion with efficient and fair policies to reduce inequalities, as well as support to the modernisation and implementation of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement. Initiatives cover green growth, sustainable finance and transport, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture, equitable access to health as well as job opportunities, public finance and support to civil society organisations, as well as justice, human rights and gender equality.
Team Europe in Mexico brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and EU Member States including France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, and Portugal.
The EU has allocated €33 million to bilateral cooperation with Mexico for 2021–2027, complemented by regional and thematic programmes. Partnership documents can be found in the ‘Related documents’ section below.
Our key initiatives
- Green growth
The EU supports Mexico’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy through investments and technical assistance across energy, circular economy, water planning, and forest and biodiversity initiatives. Key actions include:
- Advancing renewable energy & energy efficiency, including wind and solar for renewable hydrogen and ammonia in the Interoceanic Corridorof the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
- Supporting the low-carbon transition of the Isthmus through policy capacity-building and clean industrial development strategies.
- Strengthening Mexico’s electricity transmission grid to facilitate the energy transition
- Promoting a circular economy by improving waste management infrastructure and energy production in Southeast Mexico.
- Enhancing integrated water resource management through infrastructure, sanitation, and strategic planning with private sector involvement.
- Sustainable finance
The EU works with Mexican and international partners to boost sustainable finance and unlock climate-aligned investment. Our common efforts include:
- Supporting the development of sustainable finance with public and private partners.
- Scaling up green bonds and aligning EU and Mexican taxonomies.
- Backing a Blue Bond launch and green agriculture financing.
- Preparing loans for green infrastructure and private-sector climate projects.
- Sustainable transport
The EU partners with Mexico to modernise rail, urban and maritime transport in line with sustainability goals. Projects focus on:
- Supporting the railway masterplan and feasibility studies for two light train lines.
- Enhancing urban mobility planning through technical assistance.
- Developing maritime corridors, including the Port of Guaymas and the interoceanic link between Sines and Coatzacoalco.
- Forest, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and sargassum
The EU supports Mexico in promoting sustainable land use, forest conservation and innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Key actions include:
- Advancing sustainable forest management through the Great Forests of Mesoamerica initiative.
- Promoting biodiversity and sustainable agriculture through public investments under the Team Europe portfolio.
- Advancing sargassum management by fostering national and regional dialogue and leveraging investment for scalable technical solutions.
- Health resilience, vaccine production and equitable access to health
The EU partners with Mexico to strengthen health systems and promote equitable access to medicines and vaccines. Key actions focus on:
- Enhancing health regulation and resilience through technical assistance and regional cooperation with PAHO.
- Exploring investment opportunities in local vaccine and medicine production through EU-Mexico Joint Fund studies.
- Scaling up science–industry partnerships to foster innovation in health.
- Cross-cutting facilities
The EU is facilitating dialogue, technical cooperation, and private sector engagement, including:
- Running the EU-Mexico Dialogue Facility and Technical Cooperation Facility to support implementation.
- Preparing a Global Gateway Facility (2025) to engage private sector & develop investment pipelines.
- Social cohesion
The EU partners with Mexico to promote social inclusion, decent work and stronger social policies, including:
- Promoting formal employment and decent work for people on the move and vulnerable groups (EU4Decent Work)
- Supporting public finance reforms to reduce inequality and strengthen social policies (EU4Equity)
- Empowering civil society to promote youth employability, local inclusion and labour market integration
- Security and justice, gender equality, human rights and democracy
The EU is promoting human rights, access to justice, gender equality and security, especially through:
- Enhancing citizen security and justice reform through technical assistance (e.g. EL PACCTO – Mexico Window).
- Supporting action to combat violence against women and promote women’s economic inclusion.
- Promoting gender equality through inclusive entrepreneurship (via EIB-Bancomext).
- Backing civil society to address enforced disappearances, protect HR defenders & journalists, and fight impunity.
