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International Partnerships

EL PACCTO 2.0

EU-LAC partnership on justice and security
EL PACCTO 2.0

EU-LAC partnership on justice and security

Overview

EL PACCTO 2.0 is a European Union cooperation programme that supports Latin American and Caribbean countries in their fight against transnational organised crime, corruption, and money laundering.

Launched in July 2023 following the III Summit EU-CELAC, this second phase of the programme strengthens the EU–LAC partnership on justice and security. It helps build more effective, transparent, and rights-based criminal justice systems, contributing to safer and more just societies.

With a budget of €58.8 million, funded by the European Union, EL PACCTO 2.0 promotes political dialogue, technical assistance and institutional capacity building. The programme operates across the criminal justice chain and ensures that gender equality, environmental sustainability, and human rights are fully integrated throughout its actions.

Key information

  • Location:
    • Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
    • The Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Duration:
    • First phase: 2017-2022
    • Second phase: 2023-2027
  • Theme: Justice and the rule of law, Peace and security, Human rights
  • Total budget: EL PACCTO 2.0 is funded by the European Union with a budget of €58.8 million, through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI–Global Europe).
  • Implementing partners: the programme is promoted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) and by a consortium of five EU Member States:
    • Spain: FIAP acting as Consortium leader
    • France: Expertise France and CIVIPOL
    • Italy: IILA (Italian–Latin American International Organisation) 
    • The Netherlands: Government of The Netherlands van Buitenlandse Zaken and Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid)
    • Portugal: Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language 

Approach and objectives

EL PACCTO 2.0 takes a comprehensive, three-level approach to strengthen the fight against transnational organised crime in Latin America and the Caribbean:

  • Strategic level: the programme fosters high-level policy dialogue, promotes regulatory convergence, and supports regional cooperation through platforms such as CLASI, AMERIPOL, and the Justice Policy Cycle.
  • Institutional level: EL PACCTO 2.0 strengthens the capacities of key justice and security actors (judiciary, police, prosecution services) with a focus on economic crime, including corruption, money laundering, asset recovery, and penitentiary system reform.
  • Operational level: the programme supports cross-border investigations, enhances information-sharing systems, and builds lasting institutional capacities in partner countries.

Key areas of intervention include:

  • Promoting inter-institutional, regional and bi-regional coordination mechanisms
  • Providing technical assistance and training for specialised crime units
  • Developing tools and methods for asset tracing and recovery
  • Improving prison governance and rehabilitation systems
  • Facilitating joint operations and transnational investigation teams
  • Mainstreaming human rights, youth protection, and gender equality in justice and security policies

Actions

EL PACCTO 2.0 is built around four interlinked components that respond to key justice and security challenges in Latin America and foster deeper EU–LAC cooperation:

1. Strengthening regional and bi-regional cooperation

This component supports structured dialogue and coordination between Latin American and European partners through platforms such as CLASI, the Justice Policy Cycle, and AMERIPOL. These efforts promote shared strategies and regulatory convergence on justice and security.

2. Economic dimension of crime

Targets financial and economic crime by tackling corruption, money laundering, and illicit enrichment. This component promotes asset recovery, reforms in prison systems, and initiatives that reduce criminal governance and support social reintegration.

3. Institutional strengthening of justice and security institutions

This component enhances the rule of law through legislative support, capacity building, and cross-border cooperation. This includes backing for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) and efforts to prevent the involvement of women and youth in organised crime.

4. Addressing transnational organised crime

This component delivers targeted technical assistance and coordination tools to tackle six priority crime areas:

  • Drug trafficking
  • Firearms trafficking
  • Human trafficking
  • Environmental crimes
  • Trafficking of cultural goods
  • Cybercrime

This structure ensures coherence between strategic dialogue, institutional development, and operational impact.

Contact

For any questions or additional information about EL PACCTO 2.0, please contact infoatelpaccto [dot] eu (info[at]elpaccto[dot]eu).

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