Faced with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), entrepreneurs, researchers, and engineers across Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will soon have access to faster, smarter, and more secure computing power. Under the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, the EU-LAC Digital Alliance is launching a new bi-regional supercomputing network that connects existing infrastructures, builds skills, and opens opportunities for joint innovation.
Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: “The EU–LAC Supercomputing Network shows how the Global Gateway creates real value for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. Through the Global Gateway, we are together investing over €12 million in the infrastructure and knowledge that will power tomorrow’s innovations - from fighting climate change to developing new medicines and advancing artificial intelligence. This is a win for Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel Albares, declared: “The launch of this Network represents the implementation of a key tool enabling the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean to work together on Artificial Intelligence, reducing gaps to ensure a fair digital transition”.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, Luciana Santos expressed that: “Brazil is proud to be part of the EU–LAC Supercomputing Network, an initiative that strengthens scientific and technological cooperation between Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. By combining advanced computational capacities and fostering joint research, this partnership expands access to strategic technologies and drives innovative solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, health, and the environment. Through the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA), we will allocate significant investments to promote research and innovation, laying the foundations for a sovereign, inclusive, and sustainable digital transformation”.
The network will enhance the use of existing High-Performance Computing (HPC) resources in LAC and promote links with Europe’s advanced supercomputing ecosystem. This will help scientists from both regions work together to run simulations, analyse big data and test cutting-edge processing models to address pressing global challenges, from climate modelling and drug discovery to artificial intelligence.
The initiative kicks off with the signature of a new €3 million Contribution Agreement between the European Commission and the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking. In parallel, Brazil’s National AI Plan will allocate R$50 million (approximately €8 million) to promote access to HPC infrastructures at regional level. Additionally, Spain (the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, AECID) will contribute up to €1 million to the Barcelona Supercomputing Network to support the implementation of the EU-LAC Supercomputing Network.
The EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI will:
- Promote shared HPC infrastructures;
- Enhance skills with capacity building and training for researchers;
- Boost scientific collaboration by developing joint use-cases such as drug development and climate simulations;
- Demonstrate the capacity of networked infrastructures to work together on developing and deploying AI applications;
- Increase the use of the BELLA cable, the high-speed digital link connecting the two regions.
In the first stage, with coordination from the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, the network will see fourteen EU and LAC countries bringing together their existing computing capacity: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal and Uruguay. Over time, it will expand to include more countries that are member of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance.
Background
Global Gateway Forum
The Global Gateway Forum brings together leaders from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to promote global investment in infrastructure - hard and soft - to deliver on the SDGs and sustainable growth and resilience worldwide.
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
Digital Alliance
The EU-LAC Digital Alliance was launched in March 2023 in Bogota in the framework of the Global Gateway Investment Agenda and represents the political determination of the 27 Member States and 24 LAC countries to collaborate closely on key digital issues through joint initiatives, fostering a people-centred digital transformation in both regions.
Participating countries issued a Joint Declaration in the context of the EU-CELAC Summit in July 2023, where they committed to regular bi-regional dialogue and cooperation on digital matters for the benefit of their citizens.
For more information
Details
- Publication date
- 10 October 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for International Partnerships