Background

The Agreement for Trade and Cooperation between the European Economic Community and Macao, which was concluded on 15 June 1992 and effective from 1 January 1993, aimed primarily to further strengthen the relationship between EU and Macao. This Agreement covers co-operation with respect to trade, economy, science and technology. The EU-Macao Joint Committee meets annually to review the implementation of the Agreement as well as to establish trade development and co-operation programme.

 

Co-operation Projects

• Training for the tourism industry (1999-2001)
  The EU co-operated with the Institute for Tourism Education to create a Regional Centre for Advanced Tourism Studies for the Asia/Pacific Region in this institution.

• European Studies Program (1999-2001)
  The project supported the Institute of European Studies in Macao in its work of disseminating knowledge about the EU through a number of initiatives including the launching of a Masters Degree in EU Studies.

• Services Development Program (1999-2001)
  This program aimed at advising Macao on ways to improve Macao’s services sector by defining a proper administrative and legal framework and setting the ground for adequate training infrastructure. 

• Asia-Invest Program (2001 and 2002)
  The program provided co-funding for projects that brought together Asian and European companies in partnership. Two business-matching events were held in Macao in September 2001 and June 2002. 

• EU-Macao Legal Co-operation Program (2002-2007)
  The program provided training, workshops and seminars to uplift the quality of Macao’s law practitioners. 

• MIGRAMACAU (2006-2007)
  The project aimed to enhance more effective management in all aspects of migration flows for law enforcement officers and other relevant personnel in Macao. 

• European Union Business Information Program, EUBIP (2009-2012)
  The program aims to generate real business opportunities for Macao by raising awareness of the benefits of the EU as a business partner, as well as to promote a better understanding between the EU, Macao and Hong Kong through workshops, exhibitions, publications, websites and other means. 

• The 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Program in the Legal Field (2010-2013)
  The main objective of this program is to improve the skills of Macao’s legal practitioners through training, workshops and seminars, thereby benefiting the work of legal reform. 

• Training Program in Translation and Interpretation in Chinese and Portuguese (2010-2014)
  The program is to further strengthen the knowledge and skills of Chinese-Portuguese translators and interpreters through training.

• The European Union Academic Programme in Macao, EUAP-Macao (2012-2016)
  The aim of the programme is to promote academic research, develop outreach activities to enhance the visibility of the EU and strengthen academic cooperation with EU higher education institutions.

• Learning Program in Translation and Interpretation in Chinese and Portuguese (2013-2016)
  The program intends to nurture professional interpreters and translators in Chinese and Portuguese for the MSAR.

• The Third Macao SAR-EU Co-operation Program in the Legal Field (2016-2019)
  The program aims at strengthening the Macao SAR's legal system and improving training for the local legal practitioners, through organizing workshops and seminars, publications, media promotion and other activities.

• Training Program in Translation and Interpretation in Chinese and Portuguese (2016-2020)
  The objective of the program is to train more Chinese and Portuguese translators and interpreters, in order to support Macao in developing as a world tourism and leisure centre, as well as, a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.

• Horizon 2020 (2016-2020)
  The program is intended to support scientific research projects which meet the needs of Macao’s technological development and whose implementation objectives are clear.

 

EU - Macao Joint Committee

The EU-Macao Joint Committee acts as a platform through which Macao and EU conduct a regular dialogue on areas such as trade and cooperation. The 23^rd EU-Macao Joint Committee meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium on 11 June 2019. The EU-Macao Joint Committee reviews the implementation of different cooperation projects and holds consultations to promote and strengthen bilateral trade, investment and cooperation. Indeed, through the mechanism of this Joint Committee, closer ties are fostered between Macao and Europe.

 

Web link: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/hong-kong/european-union-and-macao_en?s=239