The European Union (EU) and Ecuador agreed to broaden and deepen their bilateral cooperation in security matters. 

This resulted from the III Technical Roundtable on Security Cooperation between Ecuador and the European Union on September 26 and 27, 2023.  This time, it occurred in a different context than last year: much more complex, but "the European Union is responding. 

The visit of the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, was a strong signal that gave impetus to a new generation of bilateral projects that are currently in the evaluation phase," said the European Union Ambassador to Ecuador, Charles-Michel Geurts. 

At least 80% of the narcotics that leave through Ecuadorian ports go to European Union (EU) countries, where there is a "significant growth in consumption," said Charles-Michel Geurts. "We see a significant growth in consumption, trafficking in Europe, with a wave of violence similar to the one Ecuador knows, all crimes linked to drug trafficking," said the ambassador.  With the European Union, mechanisms are being sought to strengthen the banana value chain: "Security must be addressed with co-responsibility, separating the product from a transnational problem that affects everyone." 

In a communiqué, he stated that "the fight against organized crime based exclusively on the interception of drugs and the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the illicit market shows its limits when it is not part of a comprehensive strategy". 

The III Security Roundtable comprehensively addressed the strategic support to confront organized crime from its different aspects: border security, maritime security, cybersecurity, prison security, and the preventive axis regarding drug consumption and trafficking. 

The Undersecretary for Economic Affairs and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Isabel Albornoz, represented Ecuador. After highlighting that the European Union is one of Ecuador's most important cooperating partners in security issues and that it has one of the most substantial cooperation structures at the regional level, she said that she values its willingness to cooperate with Ecuador. "We have to work under the principle of shared responsibility to achieve effective action and confront transnational organized crime. Ecuador has the political will to do so, and it is an aspect that is already becoming a state policy," said Albornoz. 

The counterparts established a list of deliverables to mark the cooperation between the EU and Ecuador in the next twelve months. They agreed to promote work on prevention and citizen security, to promote the interoperability of intelligence systems and to address new security threats, such as terrorism.  This technical working space assessed the status of EU-funded national and regional security programs in which Ecuador participates, such as Euresp, GIFP, EL PAcCTO, Copolad III, Eurofront, Seacop, Crimario, Cybernet, Cyber4dev, Glacy+, Copernicus, among others.  The counterparts also welcomed the Government's efforts in negotiating a working agreement with Europol that will enable the dispatch of a liaison officer to this European agency and the steps to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction. 

The technical roundtable was attended by authorities from national security and human rights institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of the EU Delegation in Ecuador, EU-funded programs and EU member countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Hungary.