La Paz and Illimani © EC Delegation - Emmanuel Hondrat

Diplomatic relations between the EU and Bolivia were established in 1968. Relations are conducted both bilaterally and also in the framework of regional cooperation between the EU and the Andean Community. EU relations with Bolivia are governed by the regional Framework Cooperation Agreement of 1993. This was updated and strengthened with the signature of the regional Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement in December 2003, which is still pending ratification. Dialogue also takes place within the framework of the institutional relations between the EU and the Rio Group.

The EU has delivered strong support to Bolivia’s democracy through election observation and assistance, demarches and accompanying the national dialogue process on the new Constitution of 2009. The EU sent two observation missions in 2009 for the constitutional referendum in January and the general elections in December.

Concerning trade , Bolivia enjoys privileged market access to the EU through the GSP Plus scheme.

EC’s bilateral cooperation with Bolivia has an allocation of € 249 million, the EC’s largest in Latin America. The EU’s Country Strategy Paper [565 KB] (CSP), adopted in July 2007, identifies three priority sectors for cooperation with Bolivia in the period 2007-2013: the creation of economic opportunities through decent work; the fight against illicit drug production and trafficking; and the integrated management of watersheds. The Mid-Term Review [668 KB] (+ summary [29 KB] ) of the CSP, finalised in May 2010, broadens the scope of EU cooperation to include fight against poverty; access to drinking water/sanitation, and climate change, while maintaining the three focal sectors of the CSP. Bolivia has been allocated € 9,5 million under the EU food facility, approved in 2008 and designed to help developing countries to cope with the rise of food prices.

Under the Instrument for Stability (IfS) the EU is providing electoral assistance, promoting national dialogue and assisting in the implementation of the constitution and supporting the fight against drugs (€ 4 million).