The European Parliament adopted by 539 votes to 84, with 50 abstentions, a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Singapore, of the other part.

Members welcomed the conclusion of the PCA, which is of strategic importance and will provide a legal framework for the long-standing bilateral relations and commitment to strengthening and widening cooperation in regional and international forums, and in areas such as environmental protection, international stability, justice, security and development.

It shall create opportunities in new areas of cooperation, such as human rights, justice, freedom and security and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and for scientific and technological cooperation in fields such as energy, the environment, the fight against climate change, protection of natural resources, and transport, in particular maritime and air transport.

The resolution reaffirmed the needed commitment and engagement with regard to respect for human rights, including social rights, democracy, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law, and to working together in this regard.

Singapore is called on to:

- ensure respect for international law, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms;

- fully protect the rights of the LGBTI community;

- abolish the laws penalising sexual relationships between people of the same gender;

- abolition of the death penalty;

- work together with Singapore and ASEAN to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Parliament welcomed the fact that the PCA supports people-to-people exchanges, such as academic mobility under the Erasmus Mundus Programme, and facilitates the further development of cultural exchanges in order to increase mutual understanding and knowledge of respective cultures.

It underlined the role of the Singapore-based Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) as the main instrument for cultural exchanges between Asia and Europe and welcomed the creation of an EU-ASEAN Youth Fellowship.

Concerned by the growing tensions in the South China Sea, Members called on ASEAN to speed up consultations on a code of conduct on the peaceful resolution of disputes and controversies in the area, and on the EU to support this process. They called, alongside Singapore, for freedom of navigation and overflight in the area, stressing that the EU has a strong interest in promoting stability in Southeast Asia.

Members called for regular exchanges between the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Parliament, to allow Parliament to follow up on the implementation of the PCA and the achievement of its objectives.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE (EPP, ES) containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Singapore, of the other part.

Members welcomed the conclusion of the PCA, which is of strategic importance and will provide a legal framework for the long-standing bilateral relations and commitment to strengthening and widening cooperation in regional and international forums, and in areas such as environmental protection, international stability, justice, security and development.

It shall create opportunities in new areas of cooperation, such as human rights, justice, freedom and security and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and for scientific and technological cooperation in fields such as energy, the environment, the fight against climate change, protection of natural resources, and transport, in particular maritime and air transport.

The report reaffirmed the needed commitment and engagement with regard to respect for human rights, including social rights, democracy, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law, and to working together in this regard.

Singapore is called on to:

- ensure respect for international law, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms;

- fully protect the rights of the LGBTI community;

- abolish the laws penalising sexual relationships between people of the same gender;

- abolition of the death penalty;

- work together with Singapore and ASEAN to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement;

Members called for regular exchanges between the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Parliament, to allow Parliament to follow up on the implementation of the PCA and the achievement of its objectives.