The Philippines and the European Union Held their 2nd Sub-Committee Meeting (SCM) on Maritime Cooperation in Manila

Above: A substantive maritime dialogue occurred between the Philippine and EU delegations significantly shaping future cooperation in maritime and ocean affairs.

MANILA 31 October 2024 - The second Sub-Committee on Maritime Cooperation (SCM) under the Philippines - European Union Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was held in Manila on 29 October 2024. This 2nd maritime dialogue built on the accomplishments of the inaugural SCM held in Brussels in 2023. 

During the dialogue, the Philippines and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and international law, and emphasized their resolve to uphold the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides the legal framework within which all activities in the ocean and seas must be carried out. They underscored the importance of respecting the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal States, and their maritime entitlements in accordance with international law, particularly the UNCLOS and its dispute settlement mechanisms, and calling for full and faithful compliance with the final and binding 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award rendered by the arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with UNCLOS. They further emphasized their unwavering commitment to respect the rights and freedoms under UNCLOS, including freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

The Philippines and the EU reiterated their strong opposition against illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous actions in the South China Sea, and welcomed frank and sincere diplomatic engagements in this regard. The Philippines underscored its appreciation for the EU’s timely, consistent, and decisive statements in line with international law and in support of the rules-based international order. They expressed serious concern over unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability and the rules-based international order, including recent incidents in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Such activities also include those which damage the seabed and marine environment, interfere with the livelihoods of fishing communities and undermine the Philippines’ food security. They urged parties to refrain from the threat or use of force and from adding uncertainty to the region through unilateral acts. Maritime disputes must be resolved through peaceful means and in accordance with the dispute settlement mechanisms under UNCLOS.

They also took the opportunity to echo the call of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Security Council, among others, for respect for the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms, and for the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew. They agreed to look into international cooperation on timely and practical initiatives, such as enhanced awareness for seafarers navigating high-risk areas and sharing real-time threat intelligence, which would be crucial in bolstering the safety and security of seafarers. At the same time, they also highlighted the recent United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution (A/HRC/56/L.4) titled, "Promoting and Protecting the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Seafarers", which reaffirms that safe and decent living and working conditions at sea is a human rights imperative. They also expressed their appreciation to the global maritime sector for prioritizing the safety of seafarers, and giving due regard to the right of seafarers to refuse to sail in designated high-risk areas. 

The Philippines and the EU highlighted specific areas for further engagements and cooperation on a range of maritime issues, including on maritime security, maritime domain awareness,  regional security, addressing non-traditional security threats, and coast guard cooperation, taking cognizance of the EU Maritime Security Strategy, as well as maritime education, training, and certification and safety at sea, and maritime environmental protection, particularly in line with the obligation of States to protect and preserve the marine environment under UNCLOS. They highlighted progress on ongoing projects such as ESIWA, CRIMARIO with its IORIS platform, and the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) Seafarers Technical Assistance Project, aimed at supporting maritime safety and the continued enhancement of maritime education, training, and certification system for Filipino seafarers, as well as in the ASEAN region. They agreed to further explore training, capacity building, and the exchange of best practices. They also expressed their eagerness to identify specific areas where their combined efforts can provide the most value, and at the same time complement existing collaborations with other like-minded partners.

The Subcommittee was co-chaired by the head of the Philippine Delegation, Marshall Louis Alferez, Assistant Secretary of the Maritime and Oceans Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and by Paola Pampaloni, Acting Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS). They were also joined by the EU Ambassador to the Philippines, Massimo Santoro, delegates from the EU based in Brussels, representatives from the Philippine government agencies, and observers from the Embassies of the EU Member States in Manila.

The next Subcommittee meeting will take place in Brussels in 2025. END

Above(L-R): Acting Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Paola Pampaloni; Assistant Secretary of the Maritime and Oceans Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Marshall Louis Alferez; and EU Ambassador to the Philippines, Massimo Santoro.

Above(L-R): PHL Coast Guard Commodore Algier Ricafrente; DoTr Assistant  Secretary Julius Yano; DFA-MOAO Assistant Secretary Marshall Louis Alferez; and DFA-MOAO Ocean Governance Division  Director Joel Peralta.

Above(L-R): EEAS Head of Sector Maritime Policy, Giovanni Cremonini; EEAS Acting Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific Paola Pampaloni; EU Ambassador to the Philippines, Massimo Santoro; and EEAS Policy Officer for the Philippines, Agata Nowicka.