The EU and the Philippines have upgraded their relationship to an “Enhanced Partnership” and agreed a new €15 million support package for the Philippine Navy.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Philippine foreign affairs secretary Ma. Teresa Lazaro signed a joint statement on 24 July formalising the upgraded ties, the EU Delegation to the Philippines informed on Tuesday, cited by the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The EU said the new partnership will expand co-operation on foreign affairs and security, good governance, the rule of law, human rights, climate change, the green transition, digital projects under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, and people-to-people exchanges.
EU approves first European Peace Facility measure for the Philippines
Earlier this month the Council of the European Union adopted its first-ever assistance measure for the Philippines under the European Peace Facility, worth €15 million — about 1.05 billion Philippine pesos — following a proposal from Kallas, the EU Delegation to the Philippines said.
The European Peace Facility is an EU funding instrument used to support partners on security and defence-related needs.
The EU said the funding will support the Armed Forces of the Philippines by strengthening “maritime domain awareness” — the ability to detect, monitor and analyse activity at sea — for the Philippine Navy.
It added that the measure is intended to improve the Navy’s ability to build a more complete picture of activity within the country’s maritime zones, enhance early warning, and support better co-ordination and response by naval and maritime security forces.
