EU-Republic of Korea: 21st Joint Committee takes place in Brussels
On 7 May, the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Korea (RoK) held the 21st meeting of the Joint Committee in Brussels. It was an opportunity to review progress in areas of bilateral, regional and global cooperation at a time when the world is facing multiple crises.
The EU and the RoK reiterated that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are interconnected and interdependent. The EU and the RoK condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and DPRK's support for Russia’s war in the form of troops and arms. They further reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine to ensure a just and lasting peace in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. They also discussed how to address the broader security and economic impact of the war in other regions, including in the Indo-Pacific, stressing the importance of upholding democracy and the rules-based international order. The EU and the RoK urged the DPRK to cease missile launches, resume dialogue and to engage in action to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and agreed to continue working together to this end. The EU and the RoK reiterated their strong interest in strengthening shared security and their willingness to continue to deepen cooperation on security and defence partnership on the basis of the EU-RoK Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) adopted on 4 November 2024, which is more relevant than ever.
The EU and the RoK appreciated the first progress made in the implementation of the EU-RoK Green Partnership, highlighting continuous cooperation in areas such as climate policies, biodiversity, circular economy, clean energy transition and committed to further strengthening their collaborative efforts to tackle environmental challenges. The EU and the RoK welcomed the ongoing work under the Digital Partnership in preparation of the next Digital Partnership Council to be held in the near future. They highlighted the importance of reinforcing its implementation and looked forward to concrete deliverables in semiconductors, 5G/6G, Quantum, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. On research and innovation, they welcomed the progress made on RoK’s association to the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and expressed their commitment to finalise the signing of the Agreement. They also discussed how to enhance transport connectivity and committed to further cooperating in aviation and maritime transportation bilaterally and internationally to pursue mutual objectives. The EU and RoK looked forward to continuing cooperation in responding to health emergencies, including through research and development of medical countermeasures.
On trade and investment matters, they confirmed that the EU and the Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement delivers well and it has led to a substantial increase in bilateral trade to the benefit of both sides. They noted progress with regard to the implementation of the agreement as well as regarding the launch of the Specialised Committee on Emerging Trade and Economic Issues, whilst also some remaining matters were mentioned such as SPS matters and updating some sectorial annexes. The EU and RoK welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations for a Digital Trade Agreement, which will complement the Free Trade Agreement and connect further the digital economies of the EU and the Republic of Korea.
On global challenges, the partners confirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism, as well as their wish to enhance cooperation in international fora. They looked forward to continuing cooperation in the G20, reaffirming support for South Africa’s current presidency. They re-affirmed their commitment to continue working on WTO reform, and the importance of having a fully functioning dispute settlement system was emphasized in the discussion. They looked forward to continuing their cooperation on the topic of critical raw materials in the context of the MSP and its Forum. The two sides agreed on many priorities regarding UN human rights discussions as illustrated also by their like-minded voting pattern in these fora. The EU and RoK confirmed their determination and commitment to achieving a successful outcome in the negotiations for a Global Plastic Treaty, scheduled to take place in Geneva in August 2025, as well as to working together for meaningful and ambitious outcomes at COP30 in Belem. The EU and RoK also confirmed their willingness to work more closely on a strategic investment agenda in the areas including connectivity, green and digital transitions under the framework of their respective Indo-Pacific Strategies and of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy. Opportunities for concrete cooperation will be further explored in the run-up to the next EU-Korea Development Dialogue.
The EU delegation was led by Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the European External Action Service. The Delegation of the Republic of Korea was led by Kim Hee-sang, Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The next EU-Republic Korea Joint Committee will take place in 2026 in Seoul.