European Union - Australia Partnership Framework

OBJECTIVE I : STRENGTHEN BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION IN SUPPORT OF SHARED FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY INTERESTS.

RATIONALE

Australia and the EU share a common interest in promoting world-wide respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. Both parties are fully committed to the effective multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations (UN). Both seek to improve the protection of populations against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Australia and the EU strongly support the effective functioning of the International Criminal Court and the universality of the Rome Statute. Both have as high foreign and security policy priorities the promotion of international peace and stability, including through cooperation in conflict prevention, contributions to post-conflict stabilisation, and by promoting greater international cooperation in counter-terrorism and the non proliferation of nuclear, chemical, biological and conventional weapons and their means of delivery, including the illicit trafficking and excessive and destabilising accumulation of SALW and their ammunitions.

LONG/MEDIUM-TERM OBJECTIVES

• Improve international management of global challenges through the development of and cooperation in effective international and regional institutions.
• Exchange views on regional architecture for the Asia and Pacific regions in which all the key regional players can debate the region's strategic, security, economic and political challenges and opportunities.
• Develop a better mutual understanding of the radicalisation process and the threats posed by extremism.
• Work towards a substantive outcome of the current Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Process.
• Work cooperatively with Aviation Security partners, in both formal and informal fora, to influence international aviation security policies and security standards.
• Work cooperatively in the fields of the Border Management Systems, particularly in relation to the development of electronic traveller registration and more generally in relation to immigration management.

AREAS OF ON-GOING COLLABORATION

• Cooperate to reinforce the international role of the United Nations as a guarantor of international peace and security.
• Support each other's initiatives in the UN where appropriate or pursue joint initiatives in the UN. Explore opportunities for greater collaboration on UN General Assembly resolutions.
• Intensify coordination in UN forums to strengthen the UN and discuss priorities in order to identify issues for concrete, concerted action including to advance reforms of the UN system agreed upon at the World Summit 2005.
• Provide the International Criminal Court with effective cooperation and assistance to help reinforce the Court's credibility and its ability to pursue the judicial function for which it was created. Promote the universal ratification of the Rome Statute.
• Continue on-going information sharing on the relevant foreign policy and security issues , including all security and strategic impacts which may arise from climate change.
• Continue to exchange information, and seek further opportunities to raise awareness and promote human rights in third countries .
• Identify shared security interests between Australia and the EU including in the field of European Security and Defence Policy.
• Enhance ongoing cooperation in all relevant international fora on non-proliferation and disarmament, including on issues related to conventional weapons and the illicit trafficking and excessive and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition.
• Enhance dialogue and understanding within the international community of key issues relating to non-proliferation, including regional questions such as the Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues.
• Australia , the EU and Member States to continue to support the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Comprehensive Strategic Political Military Plan to provide security for the people of Afghanistan.
• Continue cooperation, including through the UNSG's good offices mission, to contribute to a peaceful transition towards legitimate government in Burma/Myanmar , including support to reduce the isolation of the population and for UN-led initiatives regarding the pre-election process.
• Cooperate in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to strengthen regional preventive diplomacy capabilities and to encourage practical measures for enhancing regional security including in areas of counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• Maintain high level bilateral consultation on the global terrorist threat , including in regard to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and d iscuss ways to improve the quality and exchange of data on persons and entities involved in the commission of terrorist acts and/or the financing of terrorism.
• Continue support for the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) and explore other opportunities for counter-terrorism cooperation in the Asia and Pacific regions.
• Strengthen dialogue and cooperation on measures to enhance border security and the security of global travel while facilitating the movement of genuine travellers, acknowledging obligations under the 1951 Refugees Convention, and to assist in the identification and/or prevention of the movement of terrorists, transnational criminals, people smugglers and people traffickers, including by means of:
• data accessing arrangements, particularly concerning travel documents with embedded data chips;
• electronic registration of overseas visitors to EU member countries who are not required to have a visa and other border screening processes and support systems;
• developments in biometrics, including through the Inter-Governmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies Technology Working Group. Australia will also provide regular updates on the activities of the Four Country Conference Biometrics and Technology Sub-Group and explore potential opportunities for collaboration between the Sub-Group and the EU;
• the protection of personal data in accordance with national legal authorities.
• Enhancing cooperation between Australia and the EU to combat terrorism and transnational crime through implementation of the Australia-EU PNR Agreement.
• Strengthen cooperation and enhance information exchange between Australian and EU transport security agencies on border security screening arrangements, including technical cooperation in the aviation security environment.
• Continue cooperation and enhance information exchange between Australian law enforcement agencies and the European Police Office (Europol) under the Agreement on Operational and Strategic Cooperation between Australia and Europol.

29 October 2008