Research Papers

Most academic attention regarding the EU’s strategic partners in Asia has focused on China, India and Japan. This paper examines the development of the EU’s relations with its two lesser known strategic partners in Asia - Korea and Indonesia. The EU’s relations with Korea have been heavily dominated by the trade agenda culminating in the EU-Korea free trade agreement (FTA) of 2010. The impact of this agreement will be discussed including the prospect of it being a model for further FTAs with countries in the region such as Japan. Following signature of the FTA, the EU and Korea have agreed to take their relations a step further by agreeing a wide-ranging framework agreement providing for cooperation on cross-cutting issues ranging from climate change and sustainable development to innovation and technology. The paper will assess the prospects for progress in the strategic partnership with Korea in light of the internal preoccupations of the EU and the rapidly developing relations between Korea and its East Asian neighbours. The EU’s strategic partnership with Indonesia is the newest such partnership and reflects the EU’s desire to establish a comprehensive relationship with the largest Muslim country in the world. The paper will examine the legacy of Dutch colonialism and the role of the Netherlands in promoting a stronger EU role in Indonesia. The impact of the EU’s role in Aceh will be discussed as well as Portugal’s prominent role in pushing for EU involvement in Timor Este. The paper will also cover Indonesia’s leadership role in ASEAN and its efforts to simultaneously deepen ASEAN-EU ties as well as deepen its bilateral relations with the EU. Finally the paper will offer a comparison of the impact of these strategic partnerships with others in the region.