Brussels, 29/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has just put to the Council of Ministers of the EU a proposal on the signing of a framework agreement on a comprehensive partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) between the European Community and its member states on the one side, and the Republic of Indonesia, on the other. Negotiations with Jakarta on this agreement were opened in 2005 and concluded in July 2007. The Commission initialled the agreement that same month after it was approved by Coreper, but Indonesia did not sign because of an EU flight ban on Indonesian air carriers. Jakarta finally signed the agreement in July 2009, following the partial lifting of the ban.
The PCA with Indonesia is intended to create a “modern” framework for the bilateral relations between the parties which is currently governed by the 1980 EEC-ASEAN Agreement. It contains a legally binding commitment by Indonesia on respect for human rights, and also obligations in the area of counter-terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, based on internationally accepted standards. Indonesia has also agreed to a clause committing itself to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The PCA provides for cooperation opportunities in a wide range of areas, such as environment and climate change, energy, science and technology, and maritime and aviation transport. It also addresses issues in the areas of illegal migration, money laundering, illicit drugs, organised crime and corruption. The PCA constitutes a framework for free trade agreement (FTA) talks with ASEAN countries consistent with the Council conclusions on the ASEAN FTA mandate, whereby the conclusion of an FTA will be subject to the conclusion of PCAs with the respective countries.
Politically, the Commission points out, the agreement with Indonesia will serve as a reference for PCAs with other countries in the region. In November 2004, the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate PCAs not only with Indonesia, but also with Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. The Commission notes that the PCA with Indonesia “will allow the EU to assume greater responsibility and influence in a region which traditionally tends to be orientated towards and influenced by China and the United States”. It says, too, that “the agreement will be regarded as a positive example of a partnership of civilisations, given that Indonesia is the third most populous country in Asia and the largest Muslim country in the world”. The full text of the proposal put to the Council can be found at: http: //eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM.2009: 0492: FIN: EN: PDF (O.L./transl.rt)