The long-term care economy in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean

Following the historic launch of the EU-LAC Bi-regional Care Pact at the CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia (2025), the Multi-actor Forum meeting on May 5: «The long-term care economy in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean: different trajectories, common challenges"It sought to translate political commitments into concrete solutions. CLACSO participated." Nora Goren, Coordinator of the Articulation and Strengthening Area.

The dialogue included diverse voices from academia, public agencies, development banks, the private sector, and civil society who wished to share best practices and proposals for:

-formalizing employment, professionalizing, promoting skills and improving working conditions for caregivers in the long-term care sector;

-the financing strategies for sustainable social protection systems investments in the “silver economy”;

-Multi-actor and innovative cooperation in the provision of long-term care and assistance at the local level (family / community / public sector / private sector).

Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean are undergoing significant demographic transformations, characterized by an aging population, increased life expectancy, and declining birth rates. These trends are generating a growing demand for long-term care services, in a context marked by structural challenges such as informal employment in the sector, gender inequalities, and limited access to quality services.

In both regions, care systems combine formal services with a heavy reliance on informal care, which falls disproportionately on women. At the same time, strengthening care systems is recognized as a key element for social protection, inclusion, and economic development.

On November 9, 2025, at the CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, the Bi-regional Pact for Care was formally launched. Designed as an informal, values-based cooperation mechanism with voluntary participation, it is open to all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as EU Member States. The Pact aims to serve as a permanent forum for bi-regional dialogue and cooperation on the legal, social, and economic dimensions of care systems.