SENEC Leads 'Team Europe' Mission in Costa Rica

On July 1st and 2nd, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (SENEC), Nuno Sampaio, led a "Team Europe" mission to Costa Rica. This mission, part of the Global Gateway initiative, aims to advance the modernization of public transport in this Central American country.

Following the commitments made at the EU-CELAC Summit in July of last year, the European Union presented an ambitious cooperation and investment proposal to the President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, to improve mobility in the Greater Metropolitan Area of San José.

With this mission, led by SENEC, the EU aspires to collaborate with Costa Rica in the expansion and modernization of the public transport system, including trains and buses, to enhance the quality of life for people commuting in the Costa Rican capital.

During his visit to San José, the Portuguese Secretary of State emphasized that "the European Union has a long-term vision for the partnership with Costa Rica, based on sustainable development and economic and social benefits, grounded in a close political relationship of trust and shared values, which will greatly contribute to the country's future."

Simultaneously, the European proposal aims to reduce pollution and the environmental impact of public transportation.

The mission includes representatives from the EU, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden, the European Investment Bank, and is accompanied by European private sector representatives, including CaetanoBus, VG Mobility, Siemens, Volvo, and Scania, who are interested in investing and strengthening collaboration with Costa Rica within the framework of the European "Global Gateway" agenda. European cooperation and development agencies, such as Camões IP, AFD, and GiZ, are also involved in this partnership.

European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, remarked that "Costa Rica and the EU are partners who share the same vision and work closely in various sectors: from digitalization, health, and agriculture to transport and sustainable finance." For Commissioner Urpilainen, who visited Costa Rica last year, the EU's proposal represents an important step in exploring how "Team Europe" and Costa Rica can modernize and electrify San José's public transport system.

Over the past two days, the European mission met with the local private sector and relevant national institutions, demonstrating "Team Europe's" commitment to working closely with Costa Rican entities.