Europe has always maintained strong cultural, historical, and political ties with Honduras. Since the Stockholm Declaration of 1999—which addressed issues such as governance, human rights, and aid effectiveness—joint action plans have been developed between Honduras and its European donors. The current legal basis for political dialogue and cooperation is the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation between the European Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, on the other, signed in 2003 and in force since May 1, 2014.

This political dialogue was further strengthened with the signing, in July 2023, of a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a periodic bilateral consultation to promote a shared understanding of all issues on the Honduras–European Union agenda.

With this agreement, we aim to create a new framework for dialogue that is more structured and fluid, and to send an important and clear signal of our willingness to explore and establish deeper bilateral relations and a more fruitful partnership.

Honduras: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell after the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding

In the last twenty years, Europe has significantly financed the provision of basic services for the most vulnerable population, the strengthening of national capacities for the implementation and management of sustainable public policies, job creation, and economic growth, the protection, and promotion of human rights and the responsible management of natural resources and rural development. 

Technical and financial cooperation projects with Honduras are based on the Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027, complemented by the Global Gateway Strategy launched in 2021.

Based on the context above, three priority areas are proposed in the Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021-2027:

• Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Climate Change
• Employment, Decent Work, and Growth
• Rule of Law and Democratic Governance

The Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Honduras for 2021-2027 amounts to €163 million.

Respect for human rights, together with freedom, human dignity, democracy, equality, and the rule of law, constitute the fundamental values of the European Union. These values share a common ethical foundation and are rooted in a society based on pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, and solidarity. Accordingly, the human rights-based approach and gender equality are systematically mainstreamed across all areas of our cooperation.

In each of the three areas, there is close collaboration with the Government, civil society, the private sector, and other development partners, with the objective of ensuring the effectiveness of aid and transparency in the use of public resources.

Beyond the prioritized areas of intervention, the European Union also makes available support measures for cooperation in Honduras, which contribute to the strengthening of public institutions and civil society.

In order to maximize the impact of cooperation actions, the European Union, together with its Member States (in particular those present in Honduras: Spain, Germany, and France), coordinates and pools resources and expertise under the Team Europe approach. This comprehensive approach enables a more cohesive and efficient response to the country’s challenges, thereby achieving more substantial and sustainable results for the development of Honduras.

In Honduras, the European Union and its Member States are the main development partners.

Economic and trade relations between the EU and Honduras have strengthened with the EU-Central America Association Agreement, whose trade pillar is fundamental to promote economic development, considering mutual interests such as the eradication of poverty, job creation and fair and sustainable development. 

The trade pillar of the Agreement has been provisionally applied since 2013.

Honduran agriculture—featuring products such as coffee, cacao, and palm oil—is one of the sectors that has most benefited from the Association Agreement. More than 54% of Honduran coffee is exported to the EU, supporting over 120,000 coffee-growing families. EU Member States are also the main destination for Honduran shrimp. Since the provisional implementation of the trade pillar in 2013, Honduras has doubled its exports to the EU and now maintains a favorable trade balance, exporting twice as much to the EU as it imports from it¹. See details.

In addition to the Association Agreement between the EU and Central America, some EU countries, such as Germany have their own chamber of commerce in Honduras. 

The EU also offers support on the web for exporting to its markets: Export Helpdesk. 

Another notable fact is that 21% of Honduras’ foreign investment comes from Europe.

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The European Union believes that young people must be involved in shaping and implementing its external action. The Youth Sounding Board aims to create a real, fundamental, long-lasting change in how the EU engages with young people in its development cooperation.

The EU Youth Advisory Council will provide an opportunity for young leaders of Honduras to express their opinions, establish contacts, share experiences, and influence initiatives and actions of the EU Delegation in Honduras, representing the needs, concerns, interests and opinions of Honduran youth. 

The themes that the YSB will work on in Honduras will be mainly the priorities contained in the EU's Multiannual Indicative Program (MIP) in Honduras and the Global Gateway strategy. 

Get to know the members of the YSB in Honduras and all about it here.

La Unión Europea y Honduras, socios estratégicos para enfrentar desafíos comunes