INTRODUCTION

Negotiations for the Framework Agreement between the European Union and its Members States on the One Part and the Republic of Korea on the Other Part were started at around the same time as the negotiations for the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This reflects the policy of the EU that economic liberalisation should only be addressed as part of a broader agenda of cooperation with partner countries.

The Framework Agreement was finally concluded in May 2010. It provides a legal basis for cooperation between the EU and Korea in a range of subject areas, and it is central to the strategic partnership. Therefore, it is important to appreciate the nature and contents of the Framework Agreement, both to understand how it will influence the development of EU-Korea relations, as well as to comprehend how the model may be deployed in relation to other countries with which the EU wishes to form future partnerships.

The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the Framework Agreement and to highlight some of its main features. It will identify the types of action that may be taken by the EU and Korea, in implementing their commitments to pursue closer cooperation. The additional chapters in this Part will then explore in more detail what potential exists for collaboration between the EU and Korea under the Framework Agreement in several specific policy areas and what particular challenges the partners may face.