27 February 2014 - The Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) of ASEAN met their EU counterparts from the Comité des Représentants Permanents/Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) with all 28 members of the EU represented. The historic first meeting of the two committees was held as part of a series of meetings under the ASEAN-EU Connectivity Policy Dialogue held from 24 to 28 February, and was marked by openness on both sides to closely collaborate to further deepen ASEAN-EU relations. 

During the meeting, Philippine Permanent Representative Elizabeth P. Buensuceso took the opportunity to thank the EU member states for their assistance to the victims of Haiyan, and highlighted issues at the national and regional level that the Philippines would like to pursue with the EU, particularly in the areas of disaster management, rule of law, democratic principles, good governance and human rights.

Ambassador Buensuceso also briefed the Committee about the success of the GRP-MILF Peace Agreement and announced the Philippine hosting of the first ever Symposium on Peace Processes, Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution Initiatives of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR). Meanwhile, the COREPER expressed their support for the Philippines and ASEAN, particularly in upholding the rule of law and an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

The COREPER was formed under Article 240 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and is responsible for preparing the work of the Council of the European Union. It consists of representatives from the Member States with the rank of Member States’ ambassadors to the European Union and is chaired by the Member State which holds the Council Presidency. - END