EU-Thailand Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

The European Parliament adopted by 552 votes to 36, with 24 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Thailand, of the other part.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

The PCA with Thailand was first initialled in March 2013, but its signature was suspended in 2014 following the military takeover of the country. In light of the political normalisation in Thailand in October 2019, the Council considered it appropriate for the EU to take steps to broaden its engagement with Thailand by preparing for the signature of the PCA in due course.

Negotiations on the agreement resumed on 13 July 2021 and were concluded at the end of the 7th round on 11 June 2022.

The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of policy areas, including human rights, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against terrorism, the fight against corruption and organised crime, trade, migration, the environment, energy, climate change, transport, science and technology, employment and social affairs, education and agriculture.

Respect for democratic principles and human rights, on the one hand, and for the principle of the rule of law, on the other, underpins the internal and international policies of the parties and constitutes an essential element of the agreement.

Parliament also adopted a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision.