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 European Union |  Singapore |
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Singapore and European Union relations refers to the bilateral relations between the Republic of Singapore and the European Union. The two entities generally maintain good relations. [1] [2] Their leaders hold regular exchanges, and Singapore has an extensive network of embassies within the European Union. [1] Singapore's relations with the European Union date back to Singapore's independence in 1965, [2] [3] and to date, they have signed multiple agreements. [4]
The EU views Singapore as a crucial partner financially in a quickly developing region. [2] Singapore remains the EU's most important economic partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and is one if its top partners globally. [5]
The European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA), which was first proposed in 2013, is regarded by some as "the cornerstone of economic ties." [4] It was signed on 19 October 2018. [6] It aims to remove barriers to trade and investment in the EU and Singapore. [2] The EUSFTA, which is pending ratification, would be the first bilateral pact between the EU and an ASEAN nation. [7] The agreement was met with widespread approval with many companies welcoming the agreement. [8] The agreement might lead the way to more similar pacts in Asia. [7]
Among other things, the agreement would reduce tariffs for the importing and exporting of goods between Singapore and the EU. [9] Business in both areas may also bid on government projects. [9] All ASEAN products would be considered as being from Singapore when determining tariff rates. [9]
There are many expatriates from Singapore living in the EU and vice versa, [10] [11] and there are numerous resources available to help in the process of expatriation. [12] [13] [14] There are also many agencies catering to expatriates. [15] Expatriates usually have a great relationship with their host country. [16]
The European Union and Singapore have very different policies regarding human rights, but they still maintain good relations. [2] One example is the death penalty. The European Union is widely opposed to the death penalty, [17] [18] [19] and considers that the abolition of the death penalty would lead to an increase in human dignity and the development of human rights. [17] [19] Singapore, on the other hand, imposes the death penalty for crimes such as drug trafficking and murder. [20] [21] Occasionally, this ignites a discussion of human rights and the morality of the death penalty, such as in the case of Prabu Pathmanathan. [22] [23]
Censorship in Singapore primarily targets political, racial and religious issues. [24] [25] Singapore ranks 151st among 180 countries for censorship according to Reporters Without Borders. [26] The EU, in turn, generally has the greatest amount of freedom of expression in the world. [26] For a country to join the EU, it must first guarantee freedom of expression as a basic human right. [27]
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