EU Ambassador to Singapore Michael Pulch has stressed that a strongEU-ASEAN partnership is strategically significant for both sides andintensified partnership will bear fruit for future generations.
In an article entitled “European Unionand ASEAN are natural partners” published by Singapore daily “TheStraits Times” on July 23 when foreign ministers of 28 EU and 10 ASEANmember states are meeting in Brussels, the ambassador wrote that the EU,as ASEAN's Dialogue Partner, has played a role in helping ASEAN makeimpressive economic progress in the last decade.
According to the diplomat, the fact that 10 million people travelbetween the two regions annually is evidence of the EU's extensive andintensive partnership with ASEAN.
Trade between theregions has increased every year since 2009 with the EU currently beingthe biggest foreign investor in ASEAN. One fourth of trade with ASEANis with Singapore alone, the EU’s most important economic partner inthe region.
Services, an increasingly importantpart of bilateral trade, is also on the rise. Latest figures show totaltrade in services amounted to 28.8 billion EUR and half of which is donewith Singapore.
He stressed the importance of bilateralcooperation between the EU and Singapore for the two regions’ ties.The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed on Sept. 20 last year- the EU's first FTA in ASEAN and its second in Asia after theRepublic of Korea - will hopefully serve as an inspiration to awider EU-ASEAN FTA in the future, he said.
"Meanwhile, theEU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement initialled lastOctober, once ratified, will give us a comprehensive framework todevelop and intensify relations across the board.”
Besides trade and investment ties, the EU and ASEAN have cooperated inother areas, including climate change and maritime security, he added.
The EU ambassador said that in Brussels, the EU and ASEAN foreignministers would discuss ways to improve cooperation in the areas oftransport, education and communication, advance cooperation in maritimeissues, and eradicate poverty and sustain the region's dynamiceconomies./.
In an article entitled “European Unionand ASEAN are natural partners” published by Singapore daily “TheStraits Times” on July 23 when foreign ministers of 28 EU and 10 ASEANmember states are meeting in Brussels, the ambassador wrote that the EU,as ASEAN's Dialogue Partner, has played a role in helping ASEAN makeimpressive economic progress in the last decade.
According to the diplomat, the fact that 10 million people travelbetween the two regions annually is evidence of the EU's extensive andintensive partnership with ASEAN.
Trade between theregions has increased every year since 2009 with the EU currently beingthe biggest foreign investor in ASEAN. One fourth of trade with ASEANis with Singapore alone, the EU’s most important economic partner inthe region.
Services, an increasingly importantpart of bilateral trade, is also on the rise. Latest figures show totaltrade in services amounted to 28.8 billion EUR and half of which is donewith Singapore.
He stressed the importance of bilateralcooperation between the EU and Singapore for the two regions’ ties.The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed on Sept. 20 last year- the EU's first FTA in ASEAN and its second in Asia after theRepublic of Korea - will hopefully serve as an inspiration to awider EU-ASEAN FTA in the future, he said.
"Meanwhile, theEU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement initialled lastOctober, once ratified, will give us a comprehensive framework todevelop and intensify relations across the board.”
Besides trade and investment ties, the EU and ASEAN have cooperated inother areas, including climate change and maritime security, he added.
The EU ambassador said that in Brussels, the EU and ASEAN foreignministers would discuss ways to improve cooperation in the areas oftransport, education and communication, advance cooperation in maritimeissues, and eradicate poverty and sustain the region's dynamiceconomies./.
