EU initials partnership agreement with Malaysia
"The Agreement will reinforce our political dialogue
with Malaysia on a range of issues, among them counter-terrorism and
the promotion of human rights and of international justice,” said Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
The PCA will provide the
overarching legal framework for strengthening EU-Malaysia bilateral
cooperation. The new Agreement is far-reaching and encompasses a full
range of areas of common interest for the EU and Malaysia. It is
testimony to the growing importance that the EU attaches to its
partnership with ASEAN as a whole, and with Malaysia as one of ASEAN's
founding countries and as a historically close partner.
The Agreement will enhance
political dialogue and will intensify the EU-Malaysia relationship on
regional and global issues such as counter-terrorism, the fight against
corruption, the promotion of human rights and of international justice,
and the strengthening of the international framework for the
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
It will give more scope for
sectoral cooperation in a broad number of areas of mutual interest such
as migration issues, money laundering and terrorism financing,
information society, cybersecurity, science and innovation, green
technologies, energy, transport, education, environment, health, labour
and employment, and public administration. Over time, the PCA may be
complemented by a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Background
Malaysia is the sixth ASEAN
partner to finalise negotiations for a Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement with the European Union. Negotiations for similar agreements
were concluded with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand. The PCA with Indonesia has already entered into force.
For the time being EU -
Malaysia bilateral relations are based upon a European Commission–ASEAN
Cooperation Agreement signed in 1980. The new Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement will replace this current agreement and strongly
reinforce relations. In particular, it will develop the following areas:
- Political dialogue through
the regular meetings of a Joint Committee composed of representatives
of the Parties at an appropriate high level, tackling matters such as
peace and security, human rights, non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, and the coordination of all sectoral cooperation.
- Intensification of already-existing regional and international cooperation.
- Cooperation on trade and
investments issues, including technical barriers to trade, sanitary and
phytosanitary issues, intellectual property rights, and customs.
- Cooperation in the
specific areas of justice and security, including migration, rule of law
and legal cooperation, human rights and international justice,
cybersecurity, data protection, combating organised crime, money
laundering and terrorism financing, and the fight against illicit drugs.
- Sectoral cooperation
in essential areas such as: information society, science, technology and
innovation, green technologies, energy, transport, education,
environment, health, labour and employment, public administration.
The signature of the PCA
will take place at a jointly agreed date, after the completion of the
respective necessary internal procedures. The agreement will enter into
force once it has been ratified by the parties.