Collaborations between Macao and the European Union
Official relations between Macao and the EU have been steadily built on the foundation of the Macao-EC Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1992. Macao has maintained good relations with the EU in terms of economic and trade affairs ever since the establishment of the MSAR. The Macao Economic and Trade Office at the Brussels headquarters of the EU seeks to enhance Macao’s relationship with the organisation.
Under their agreement, Macao and the EU may cooperate in industry, investment, science and technology, energy, information, training and other areas. A joint committee established by both parties holds an annual meeting to review the implementation of the agreement and discuss its future development. The meeting venue alternates between Macao and Brussels, and 23 such sessions have been held to date.
Cooperative projects between EU and Macao included: Training for the Tourism Industry (1999-2001); European Programme Scheme (1999-2001); Services Development Programme (1999-2001); Asia-Invest Programme (2001 and 2002); EU-Macao Legal Cooperation Programme: Phase One (2002-2007), Phase Two (2010-2013) and Phase Three (2016-2019); Immigration Services Training Programme (2006-2007); EU Business Information Cooperative Programme (2009-2012); Chinese-Portuguese Translation and Interpretation Training Programme (2010-2014); the EU Academic Programme (2012-2016); Chinese-Portuguese Translation and Interpretation Training Programme (2013-2016); Chinese-Portuguese Translation and Interpretation Training Cooperation (2016-2020); and Horizon 2020 (2016-2020).
Other joint projects inaugurated by Macao and the EU were: the Macao-Europe Centre for Advanced Tourism Studies (ME-CATS) and the Institute of European Studies of Macao.
The Business Cooperation Centre of Enterprise Europe Network Central China Macao Office (EENCC Macao Office) has provided useful information about Europe to SMEs in Macao, Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta and neighbouring regions.
In 2022, the total value of Macao’s exports to the EU was 170 million patacas (around US$21.3 million), while imports from the EU were worth 45.85 billion patacas (around US$5.73 billion)
Source:
Macao Yearbook 2023