The 11th European Union–Republic of Korea Summit was held in Brussels, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their strategic partnership in the fields of economy, trade, technology, energy, and security.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the launch of a new Competitiveness Partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, supply chains, digitalisation, innovation, and advanced technologies.
To coordinate these efforts, the parties agreed to establish a High-Level Economic Dialogue that will focus on economic security, trade policy, and industrial development.
The Summit also resulted in the signing of a Digital Trade Agreement designed to facilitate digital transactions between the two economies, increase business predictability, and support the development of open and competitive digital markets.
EU and South Korean leaders highlighted the positive results achieved under the existing Free Trade Agreement and acknowledged progress in the areas of trade and sustainable development. Particular attention was given to the potential negotiation of a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), which would help eliminate duplicate testing, certification, and conformity assessment procedures for businesses on both sides.
In the agri-food sector, the European Union and the Republic of Korea reaffirmed their commitment to improving market access for agricultural and food products. This includes European pork, beef, and poultry products.
For the European pig sector, the agreement is considered a positive signal, as South Korea remains one of the world's largest pork importers and an important destination for European pork exports.
Beyond trade, both sides also agreed to expand cooperation in energy, research and innovation, as well as security and defence, further strengthening the strategic relationship between the European Union and South Korea.
PigUA.info, based on pig333.com