Page 28 - EU_ASEN Relations: Perspectives From Malaysia

Until 2016, bilateral relations between the EU and Malaysia were based upon

a European Commission–ASEAN Cooperation Agreement signed in 1980. In
October 2010, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and EU leaders

launched two major EU-Malaysia bilateral initiatives, namely the negotiations
for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Partnership and Cooperation

Agreement (PCA). Whilst the FTA negotiations are at an advanced stage but

have yet to be finalised, the PCA was signed in April 2016 after six years of
consultations by the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Malaysia was the

sixth ASEAN member state to have a PCA with the EU. During this occasion,

Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy had said that "today's initialling is a concrete step that will

further advance our bilateral relations. The Agreement will reinforce our
political dialogue with Malaysia on a range of issues” (European External

Action Service 2016).

The EU-Malaysia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement provides an

overarching legal framework for strengthening EU-Malaysia bilateral
cooperation. It is aims to enhance political dialogue to intensify the EU-

Malaysia relationship regarding 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.

The PCA also intends to 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, cyber security, science and

innovation, green technologies, energy, transport, education, environment,
health, labour and employment, and public administration.

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