Council of theEuropean Union
Brussels, 16 April 2021
(OR. en)7914/21

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OUTCOME OF PROCEEDINGS
From:
On:
To:

General Secretariat of the Council
16 April 2021
Delegations

No. prev. doc.:

7695/21 + COR1

Subject:

EU Strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific- Council conclusions (16 April 2021)

Delegations will find in the annex the Council conclusions on an EU Strategy for cooperation in the
Indo-Pacific, approved by written procedure on 16 April 2021.

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Council conclusions on an
EU Strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific1.

The Council considers that the EU should reinforce its strategic focus, presence and actions in
the Indo-Pacific with the aim of contributing to the stability, security, prosperity andsustainable development of the region, based on the promotion of democracy, rule of law,human rights and international law.

2.

The EU intends to reinforce its role as a cooperative partner in the Indo-Pacific, bringing
added-value to relations with all its partners in the region. The EU and its Member States are
already working together comprehensively in the region, significantly contributing todevelopment and humanitarian assistance, tackling climate change, biodiversity loss andpollution, concluding ambitious free trade agreements, and contributing to the upholding ofinternational law including human rights and freedom of navigation. Cooperation with theregion is crucial for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The EU and thecountries of the Indo-Pacific also share the common task of addressing the devastating humanand economic effects of the COVID19 crisis for many countries and the need to ensure asustainable and inclusive socio-economic recovery and improve resilience of health systems.

3.

The Council notes however with concern the current dynamics in the Indo-Pacific that havegiven rise to intense geopolitical competition adding to increasing tensions on trade andsupply chains as well as in technological, political and security areas. The universality ofhuman rights is also being challenged. These developments increasingly threaten the stability
and security of the region and beyond, directly impacting on the EU’s interests.

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4.

The Council underlines that the EU’s strategic approach and engagement with the region
should be principled with a long-term perspective, contributing to the EU’s capability to act asa global actor. It should foster a rules-based international order, a level playing field as well as
an open and fair environment for trade and investment, reciprocity, the strengthening ofresilience, tackling climate change and support connectivity with the EU. It should aim tosecure free and open maritime supply routes in full compliance with international law, inparticular UNCLOS, in the interest of all. The EU’s engagement should contribute toenhancing its strategic autonomy and ability to cooperate with partners in order to safeguard
its values and interest.

5.

The Council underlines that this renewed commitment to the region is inclusive of all partners
wishing to cooperate with the EU, building upon already adopted EU strategic documents
concerning the region. The EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy is pragmatic, flexible and multifaceted, allowing the EU to adapt and build its cooperation according to specific policy areas
where partners can find common ground based on shared principles, values or mutual interest.
The EU will deepen its engagement on the Indo-Pacific in particular with those partners thathave already announced Indo-Pacific approaches of their own.

6.

The Council agrees that the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, encompassing
the geographic area from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific Island States, will provide a
new impetus by:

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EN6.1. Working with our partners in the Indo-Pacific region:a)

The EU will pursue a broad-based agenda within the region communicating and entering into
dialogues about its new strategy with its Indo-Pacific partners. The EU will work with third
countries for mutual benefit, including through its future international cooperation financial
instrument and concrete national and regional Team Europe initiatives. It will reinforce
cooperation with multilateral and regional organisations, as well as with other stakeholders,
not least with Small Island Developing States, drawing on the support of the EU’s outermost
regions as well as overseas countries and territories in that regard. The EU will aim topromote effective rules-based multilateralism. It will especially engage with the ASEAN-ledregional architecture as well as promote and pursue its objectives in its bilateral summits andat the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). In this respect, the EU reiterates its support for ASEAN
centrality and looks forward to the ambitious realisation of its new EU-ASEAN StrategicPartnership. The EU will also aim at finalising modernised Partnership and Cooperation
Agreements (PCAs) with Malaysia and Thailand and negotiating a new PCA with theMaldives.

b)

Develop a coherent overall approach to the Indian Ocean built around a concept ofcooperation with key partners in both Africa and Asia. The Joint Communication Towards a
Comprehensive Strategy with Africa, the June 2020 Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions andOctober 2020 European Council Conclusions on Africa serve as a good basis for the EU’s
priorities in the Western Indian Ocean. The EU will support partners in the Indo-Pacific instrengthening regional governance, promoting regional economic integration and growth,
ensuring the safety and security of maritime and aviation routes, preventing trafficking,tackling migration and managing mobility as well as ensuring the conservation andsustainable management of natural resources, including marine resources, especially with theIndian Ocean Rim Association.

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c)

Build the EU’s political partnership in the Pacific Ocean based on the envisaged Partnership
Agreement with its Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partners and its Pacific Protocol thatwill succeed the Cotonou Agreement, as well as the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreementwith Pacific partners. It will step up its political and strategic engagement and closely monitor
geopolitical developments in the region. The EU will continue to cooperate in regional fora
including the Pacific Islands Forum, the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific and
the Pacific Community, as well as bilaterally with partners in areas where its contribution
would bring greatest impact. This would include fighting climate change and the biodiversity
crisis, strengthening ocean governance, assisting natural disaster recovery, encouraging tradeand promoting security through fighting transnational organised crime at sea such as piracy,
environmental crimes, cybercrime and trafficking in persons, arms and drugs.

6.2. Supporting the international community’s global agenda:a)

The EU will cooperate with Indo-Pacific partners in the protection and promotion of humanrights, including raising the issue of gender equality and the empowerment of women andgirls, reasserting that human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
The participation of civil society is essential in building inclusive and prosperous societies.
The EU aims at enhancing its dialogue with the Indo-Pacific countries both bilaterally and in
multilateral fora in order to strengthen these values. Working together, the EU and the likeminded Indo-Pacific partners can have a greater impact on the global human rights agenda.

b)Forge specific cooperative initiatives such as Green Alliances and Partnerships in support of
the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, aiming at highenvironmental goals and standards, sustainable management of natural resources, including
water, moving to climate-neutral, clean and circular economies. With its partners, the EU willdevelop ambitious climate and biodiversity policies and long-term decarbonisation strategies
while strengthening sustainable finance. Implementing the international aspects of the EU’s
new climate adaptation strategy as well as its biodiversity strategy for 2030 will focus on
those Indo-Pacific partners most in need, in line with the Green Deal.

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c)

Take forward EU action on ocean governance, notably for the conservation and sustainable
use of marine biological resources. This will be ensured by EU membership and active
participation in relevant fisheries bodies, including Regional Seas Conventions and Regional
Fisheries Management Organisations, and the creation of Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships.
This will contribute towards improved fisheries governance and coastal development in ourpartner countries, including small-scale fisheries, contributing to the sustainability of food
throughout the value chain and by tackling Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)
Fishing. Accompanying initiatives will include the establishment of Marine Protected Areas,
dealing with marine pollution, coastal erosion, developing sustainable blue economies andpromoting ocean observation and research.

d)Continue its disaster risk reduction work in the Indo-Pacific to reduce hazard risks
exacerbated by climate change and build resilience amongst vulnerable communities
including forcibly displaced persons in areas that are highly exposed to natural and man-madedisasters. Cooperation on research and innovation as well as satellite services such as
Copernicus is under consideration to facilitate these specific objectives.

e)

Prioritise the health sector as a new crucial area for cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic
has demonstrated the importance of multilateral cooperation in this key area. The EU should
ensure safe and diverse pharmaceutical and health-related industrial supply chains forenabling access to safe, effective and quality medicine and health products. There should be
an exchange of best practices in health systems, including crisis management and pandemic
prevention policies, reciprocity in managing travel and open borders as well as close
cooperation leading to fairer, healthier and environmentally friendly food systems. The EU is
supporting Indo-Pacific partners, including through the COVAX Facility, the global
collaboration aiming to secure access to the COVID-19 vaccine in low and middle-income
countries. Ensuring EU Consular protection for our own citizens in times of crisis will remaina priority.

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6.3. Advancing our economic agenda and protecting our supply chains:a)

The EU will continue to promote key EU economic interests, principles and objectives
including on sustainable development towards ensuring a strong, balanced and inclusive
socio-economic recovery and growth as well as sound macroeconomic policies, institutional
capacity building and support for regional integration. The EU will foster dialogue withlikeminded countries of the Indo-Pacific region by crafting forward-looking growthenhancement strategies for a resilient and sustainable rebound of our economies.
Diversification of supply chains should contribute to the resilience of the European economy,
especially for the most sensitive industrial ecosystems, and to the reduction of strategic
dependencies on critical raw materials. The EU will also cooperate with Indo-Pacificcountries to reform the WTO towards a sustainable and effective multilateral trading system.

b)

The EU will need to strengthen its strategic trade position and level the playing field in the
Indo-Pacific, given recent significant regional agreements, such as the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It will continue to explore and negotiate
ambitious trade and investment agreements in the region such as those concluded with Japan,
the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Vietnam. It will aim to conclude free trade agreementswith Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand and take further steps towards the Comprehensive
Agreement on Investment with China. The EU will continue to explore deepening economic
relations with India. It reaffirms the EU’s ambitious agenda on trade and sustainable
development and will strengthen its efforts on the implementation of these agreements. The
EU will continue to support eligible countries in the region through its Generalised Scheme ofPreferences to eradicate poverty, stimulate growth and jobs, promote respect for human rights
and labour rights and integrate them into global value chains.

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6.4. Playing our part in the field of security and defence:a)

The EU will further develop partnerships and strengthen synergies with likeminded partners
and relevant organizations in security and defence. This will include responding to challenges
to international security, including maritime security, malicious cyber activities,
disinformation, as well as from emerging and disruptive technologies, countering andimproving resilience to terrorism, violent extremism and hybrid threats, countering organised
crime and illicit trafficking, in full compliance with international law. Other priorities should
be nuclear non-proliferation, arms control and control of dual use technological exports.
Cooperation should be increased in the framework of CSDP missions and operations throughdedicated agreements, the Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia project as well asan active involvement in key security-related fora in the region such as the ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF). The EU will also aim at concluding new Framework Participation Agreementswith partners in the region in line with the May 2018 Council Conclusions on Enhanced EU
Security Cooperation in and with Asia, encouraging greater participation by these countries in
CSDP missions and operations.

b)Within the framework of a strengthened mandate and extended area of operations of
EUNAVFOR Atalanta, the Council welcomes the contributions of Asian partner countries’
naval forces to help counter acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia andcalls for more joint exercises and port calls in that area. Building on its experience ofprotecting critical maritime routes in the Indian Ocean through maritime domain awareness,
the EU has taken the decision to extend the geographic scope of its CRIMARIO II activities
from the Indian Ocean into South and Southeast Asia with a view to contribute to safer sea
lanes of communication with the EU. It will explore the possibility of replicating the
CRIMARIO experience in the Southern Pacific.

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c)

Assess the opportunity to establish Maritime Areas of interest in the Indo-Pacific, taking into
account the lessons learned from and first assessment of the Coordinated Maritime Presences
concept. In line with the EU Maritime Security Strategy and its Action Plan, the objectives ofcoordinating EU maritime presences, based on voluntary contributions from Member States,
could be, inter alia, to cooperate with partners’ navies, and build their capacities where
relevant, to establish comprehensive monitoring of maritime security and freedom ofnavigation, according to international law, in particular UNCLOS, and taking action to ensure
environmental security in the area. While being distinct from CSDP missions and operations,the concept could contribute to addressing the existing security challenges in the region.
Member States acknowledge the importance of a meaningful European naval presence in the
Indo-Pacific.

6.5. Ensuring high quality connectivity:a)

The EU will continue advancing its quality and sustainable connectivity priorities and actionsin the region, in particular through EU institutions and Member States cooperating practicallywith partners on the ground who share the principles of quality and sustainable connectivity
based on international norms and standards and a level-playing field. This requires setting
clear priorities addressing all dimensions of connectivity – digital, transport, energy, human promoting quality infrastructure projects consistent with the G20 Principles for Quality
Infrastructure Investment, and the highest standards of transparency, green and digitaltransition. This would aim at boosting economic growth and long-term benefits in line withthe ongoing work to move towards an EU global approach to connectivity, while incentivising
private capital and involving EU businesses, where feasible using the EU’s futureinternational cooperation financial instrument. This should take into account priorities set inprogramming exercise, including the European Fund for Sustainable Development+, andother financial instruments. Strategic communication needs to be undertaken to improve thevisibility of the EU`s engagement.

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6.6. Advancing our collaboration in the field of research, innovation and digitalisation:a)

The EU will enhance cooperation on higher education, science and technology with likeminded Indo-Pacific partners, notably via Horizon Europe, to tap into the exceptional
technological expertise in the region in key enabling technologies to stimulate green growth,
including advanced manufacturing, advanced materials as well as life science, nano- andrecycling technologies. Erasmus+ will support higher education mobility and capacity
building activities. The EU will seek synergies in these fields with the EU’s futureinternational cooperation financial instrument programming, with the aim of creating acomprehensive European policy of regional cooperation. The EU will seek to ensure
reciprocity and a level playing field in line with the Global Approach to Research, Innovation,
Education and Youth. The EU will also promote people-to-people contacts and strengthen
student researcher and staff mobility.

b)

The EU will engage with like-minded partners to promote digital governance through more
ambitious global standards and regulatory approaches, including on artificial intelligence, inline with international law, including EU values and principles on privacy, data protection andsecurity, while supporting open trade and cross border data flows. The EU will work withlike-minded partners to promote security and resilience of critical infrastructure, including
security of supply chain of 5G networks. It shall recognize the importance of a global, open,
free, stable and secure cyberspace for the continued prosperity, growth, security, connectivity
and integrity of our free and democratic societies and stress the importance of protecting therule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms in cyberspace. A coherent approach toengage with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region will be key to unlocking the fullpotential of digitalization in the region. In particular, the digital divide needs to be bridged byinvestment in improved digital connectivity, promoting convergence on norms and values.

7.

The Council invites the Commission and the High Representative to present a Joint
Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by September 2021.

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