Brussels, 07/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 6 April, the EU and Malaysia initialled their partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) in Putrajaya, thus bringing an end to the negotiations that were started for this agreement in October 2010. Once the PCA has been ratified by both parties and entered into force, it will govern EU-Malaysia bilateral relations and replace the 1980 cooperation agreement.
The PCA will provide the overarching legal framework for strengthening EU-Malaysia bilateral cooperation - primarily strengthening political dialogue through regular meetings of a joint committee at a sufficiently high level, addressing issues such as peace and security, human rights, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the coordination of all sectoral cooperation.
The PCA will also intensify cooperation on justice and security, including migration, the rule of law and legal cooperation, human rights and international justice, cyber-security and data protection, the fight against organised crime, money-laundering and the financing of terrorism, and the fight against illegal drugs.
In addition, the PCA will strengthen sectoral cooperation in crucial areas such as the information society, science, technology and innovation, green technology, energy, transport, education, the environment, health, labour, employment and public administration.
Malaysia is now the sixth ASEAN bloc partner to finalise negotiations for a PCA with the EU - following Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Over time, the PCA may be complemented with a free trade agreement - the negotiations for which were started in 2010 but have been on hold since spring 2013 (see EUROPE 11303). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)