Press Statement following the DASE mission to 15th EU-Singapore Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (July 2026)
The European Parliament, represented by a delegation of DASE Members, and the Parliament of Singapore held the 15th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on 22 July 2026. The previous Inter-Parliamentary meeting was held in Strasbourg, France, in November 2025.
The Members of the European Parliament met with the Speaker of the Parliament Mr SEAH Kian Peng, Deputy Speaker Mr Christopher DE SOUZA, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry Ms GAN Siow Huang, officials at the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information,
PSA International (operator of the port of Singapore), EU Member State Ambassadors and the European business community, as well as representatives of civil society.
Upon the conclusion of the visit, the Chair of DASE underlined that "Singapore has greatly contributed to the rules-based multilateral governance system. Partners like Singapore are highly valued amidst the current global geo-strategic and economic instabilities" "Together with Singapore, we are also defending the rights for free navigation in straits used for international navigation."
The Chair said that "Singapore has been elemental to advancing ASEAN integration and ASEAN-EU relations. Next year, Singapore holds the ASEAN chair. We look forward to marking 50 years of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations with an ASEAN-EU summit and a further upgrade to the Strategic Partnership between the EU and ASEAN."
"Singapore is a significant trade and investment partner of the EU, also thanks to our free trade agreement. We welcome that other ASEAN countries aim to conclude their ongoing negotiations of free trade agreements with the EU as well. The EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement came into force this year. With this agreement, the EU and Singapore are paving the way in digital trade", MEP Beke said.
DASE Chair Beke added that "parliamentary diplomacy represents a dimension which is integral to the bilateral relations and can greatly contribute to the deepening of the bilateral relations."
During their visit, Members of the European Parliament visited the operations of the port of Singapore and learned about its use of automation, and its relocation and expansion plans. Members also discussed Singapore's healthy aging strategies with the Ministry of Health, and Singapore's digital society policies with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information. Representatives of civil society briefed Members on citizens' concerns.
Composition of the delegation: Wouter BEKE (EPP, Belgium), Vlad VOICULESCU (Renew Europe, Romania), Daniel ATTARD (S&D, Malta), Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT (EPP, Spain), Ştefan MUŞOIU (S&D, Romania), and Iuliu WINKLER (EPP, Romania).
For further information, please contact: DASE@europarl.europa.eu