[{"bbox": [97, 153, 1134, 205], "category": "Text", "text": "regional initiatives (e.g. EU-LAC Digital Alliance, EUROCLIMA+, regional programme on inclusive societies, etc)."}, {"bbox": [97, 234, 476, 261], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Specific context and political priorities"}, {"bbox": [97, 290, 1134, 397], "category": "Text", "text": "Following elections mid-2022, and a change of ruling party, the new Government confirmed CR's interest in an enhanced cooperation with the EU in the fields of environment, digitalisation and innovation, which reflect the Government's investment and cooperation priorities. Following discussions with the country's cooperation and line Ministries, the priorities are succinctly explained below."}, {"bbox": [97, 424, 593, 451], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## EU-CR Partnership on Green and Blue Transition"}, {"bbox": [136, 478, 1134, 637], "category": "List-item", "text": "*   **Electrification of transport:** the transport sector is Costa Rica's leading sector for emissions. The EU and MSs are already engaged in the sector (e.g. ongoing LAIF action on electrification of public transport, implemented by AFD) but financing needs for the conversion of both public and cargo transport (i.e. the financial structuration of e-buses, the Electric Passenger Train, and the electrical freight train project – TELCA) remain high. This component will allow to finance technical assistance, assessments or specific activities to catalyse the Team Europe response to strategic needs in the sector."}, {"bbox": [136, 638, 1134, 798], "category": "List-item", "text": "*   **Renewable energy:** in the end of 2022, Costa Rica published its national green hydrogen strategy. Taking advantage of its close to 100% renewable energy matrix, CR is exploring the possibilities to competitively produce green hydrogen, contributing to the decarbonisation of transport and industry, ensuring energy independence, and improving hydrogen knowledge and technology. An EU study is ongoing to determine viability and investment needs (results mid-2023) for clean energy production and export potential of green hydrogen and green ammonia."}, {"bbox": [136, 799, 1134, 1038], "category": "List-item", "text": "*   **Blue economy and oceans:** CR is a key partner for taking the EU's new approach on Sustainable Blue Economy with third countries forward as it is in essence an ocean country: more than 95% of its territory is maritime and it has access to both oceans. In 2021, it multiplied its maritime territory under protection by factor 25 - reaching almost 30% of total maritime surface. CR's ambition and potential world leadership on ocean protection and sustainable coastal development - to effectively protect 30% of its marine territory by 2030 - can build on its longstanding expertise in land protection. This is also why France and CR will co-host the global UN Ocean Conference in 2025, with a pre-summit taking place in CR in 2024. All this will require significant investments in marine-coastal ecosystems over the coming years. The Facility will support these efforts and build political momentum for the 2025 global Ocean Conference."}, {"bbox": [136, 1039, 1134, 1252], "category": "List-item", "text": "*   **Sustainable production and circular bio-economy:** In view of potential trade benefits and to reduce inequality gaps between urban and rural areas, the Government wants to accelerate and scale up the move towards bio-inputs, organic certification and production, low carbon value chains and a more circular approach to agriculture and fisheries. The Government is specifically looking at EU expertise in this field to align its practices with the EU regulatory and trade framework. EU support will promote fully sustainable practices in line with the objectives of the EU's Farm to Fork and Circular Economy Action Plan. Activities in this area are expected to increase EU-CR trade flows and boost effective implementation of the EU-CR Association Agreement and EU trade regulations."}, {"bbox": [97, 1278, 660, 1305], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## EU-CR Partnership on Digital Transition and Innovation"}, {"bbox": [136, 1332, 1134, 1625], "category": "List-item", "text": "*   **Secure digital ecosystems, data governance and cybersecurity:** In April 2022, CR became victim of massive national cyber-attacks, revealing structural vulnerabilities and prompting the new Government to declare a national emergency. During months, several key Government institutions were paralysed, seriously hampering day-to-day State functioning, including payment of government salaries, tax collection and basic services as medical attention. From the outset, EU expertise (from Spain (ES), in particular) has been instrumental in assessing vulnerabilities, re-establishing secure networks and monitoring new attacks. The EU's regulatory and cyber expertise and market-leading technology has led Government to request robust EU support on the national cybersecurity strategy, network security and data governance. As a first action, in December 2022 CR became the sub-regional hub for the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4), implemented by EU CyberNet and funded by the EU (FPI). A TAIEX workshop on cybersecurity in Central America took place in the Dominican"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1144, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 15"}]