Trilateral Cooperation

1. In early 2004, the European Commission and Singapore decided to share their cooperation experience towards the newer ASEAN member countries by launching trilateral cooperation (TC) based on the implementation of joint technical assistance programmes or Third Country Training Programme (TCTP).

2. For the EC the concept of trilateral cooperation was introduced under the Commission's "New Partnership with South East Asia (SEA)" adopted in 2004. This TC with Singapore is the first of its kind for the EC in SEA.

3. Both Singapore and the EC are committed to the idea of TC as there is a shared belief that TC will allow for a more effective and efficient use of scarce resources, and foster complementarities and synergies between the EU and Singapore to the benefit of the newer ASEAN countries.

4. TC is a practical contribution from the European Commission and Singapore to ASEAN’s own efforts to bridge the development gap between its poorer and richer member countries. It corresponds to the spirit and objective of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) launched during the ASEAN Summit of November 2003.

5. Human resource development and institutional capacity building are primary areas for Trilateral Cooperation which can be extended to other sectors of co-operation as well.

6. The EC & Singapore conducted the first joint training programme on "Credit Skills in Retail Banking" in Lao PDR in October 2004. The participants comprised senior staff and the officials of the middle management of the Central and State Owned Banks in Laos. This well received programme provided the participants with the skills necessary to undertake a comprehensive credit risk analysis for borrowers from the SME-sector.

7. A second training programme was completed in Singapore on 24 June 2005. The three-day study visit programme aimed to share Singapore's experience with Cambodia and Lao PDR in implementing the Enquiry Points pursuant to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary/Phytosanitary Measures. In this regard, the participants received briefings from the Ministry of Trade & Industry, International Trade Institute of Singapore and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They also visited relevant agencies such as PSB Corporation, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore to study their Enquiry Points.

For more information please contact:

Delegation of European Commission in Singapore
250 North Bridge Road, #38-03/04 Raffles City Tower, Singapore 179101
Telephone : (+65) 6336-7919 Fax : (+65) 6336-3394
Email : delegation-singapore@ec.europa.eu

Technical Cooperation Directorate
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tanglin, Singapore 248163
Telephone: (+65) 63798000 Fax: (+65) 6479-3357
Email: mfa_scp@mfa.gov.sg