At the end of a three-day visit to Manila, Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, signed a joint declaration on Friday 24 July with Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, formally launching an Enhanced Partnership between the EU and the Philippines.
Defence and diplomacy. This text first seeks to intensify political and strategic exchanges between the two powers, against a backdrop of acute regional tensions. The parties thus reaffirm their commitment to compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and oppose “any attempt to restrict freedom of navigation through militarisation and coercive activities in the South China Sea”. The declaration also gives explicit support to the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award in Manila’s favour. “Disputes must be settled through dialogue, not coercion”, Ms Kallas recalled during the press conference concluding her visit.
Recognising “the interlinkages between the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific”, the EU announced the deployment of its first assistance measure under the ‘European Peace Facility’ in the Indo-Pacific region. Endowed with €15 million, this programme will finance non-lethal surveillance equipment to strengthen the capabilities of the Philippine armed forces.
The declaration also made it possible to reiterate the two partners’ position on international crises. The EU and the Philippines are calling for a “full and unconditional ceasefire” in Ukraine and support the return of deported Ukrainian children. As regards the Middle East, the declaration calls for the full implementation of the peace plan for Gaza and recalls the need for a two-state solution.
Trade and climate. The partnership also formally recognises a deepening of economic exchanges and the forthcoming finalisation of a free trade agreement. In this context, the High Representative called for “flexibility to resolve the remaining market access issues” for European and Philippine companies.
The declaration provides for increased cooperation in semiconductors, critical raw materials and the digital economy, while mobilising the European Global Gateway strategy to support sustainable investments.
On the green transition side, the EU and the Philippines undertake to cooperate on green finance, the development of renewable energy and the fight against plastic pollution. The provision of space data from the European Copernicus programme is also expected to help the archipelago strengthen the management of climate risks and natural disasters.
Issues relating to the Rule of law, human rights and labour standards are another pillar of the ‘roadmap’. The two powers also reaffirmed their intention to work together against transnational crime, human trafficking and cyberattacks.
To see the joint declaration: https://aeur.eu/f/n0k (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)