In more detail
The Joint Work Plan is supported by five pillars:
- Political, Defense, Cybersecurity and Intelligence Cooperation
- Trade, Investment, Transport, Digital
- Climate, Green Economy, Energy Transition
- Research Science, Technology, Innovation
- Multi-level Cooperation for the Future
A range of concrete initiatives in science and innovation, digitalization, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity have been proposed under the five pillars, highlighting the importance of these areas to a country's development:
- Deepen military-to-military cooperation in the areas of digitalization and cybersecurity, research and development/innovation, armament (based on the already successful cooperation in the fields of main battle tanks and submarines), exercises, training, education and exchanges.
- Further expand and deepen cooperation on civil cybersecurity, including the migration to quantum-safe cryptography, and collaboration on standardization and assurance of the technology.
- Develop and enhance cooperation on AI security, including the exchange of views on emerging developments in AI security; collaboration on testing development and R&D; and collaboration on international standards-setting for secure AI. In addition, to work together on certification and standards development, such as for the Internet of Things and cloud security.
- Launch expert dialogues on technology methods and frameworks to facilitate the exchange of electronic records used in commercial trading activities between enterprises.
- Deepen cooperation on maritime digitalization, such as through information exchange on autonomous vessels and efficient port calls and clearance between the ports of Germany and Singapore.
- Facilitate a digital dialogue involving policymakers, regulators and businesses, with a focus on the exchange of best practices on online safety and artificial intelligence.
- Deepen the exchange on AI, especially on research and development of safe, secure, human-centric, accountable, sustainable, trustworthy and regulation-compliant AI, and compare approaches to foster AI ecosystems.
- Jointly drive the development of dual-use technologies that enhance national security and economic competitiveness through planned and supported start-up cooperation in the defense sector.
- Establish a dialogue on best practices and experiences with regard to the digitalization of international legal assistance procedures in civil and commercial matters.
- Jointly work within the e-Apostille framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law to set standards (including security standards) for the digitalization of international legal documents.
- Strengthen synergies between Singapore and Germany’s R&D and start-up ecosystems, particularly in the field of Deep Tech.
Building upon EU-Singapore agreements
The Singapore-Germany Strategic Partnership reaffirms the strong ties between the two countries and builds upon the existing EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement. In particular, as part of the Trade, Investment, Transport and Digital pillars, the Joint Work Plan is intended to "support the continued successful implementation of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which serves as a pathfinder for a possible future inter-regional FTA between the EU and ASEAN." Further, the Joint Work Plan acknowledges that the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement will enter into force once it is ratified by all parties concerned.
For more detailed information on the Singapore-Germany Strategic Partnership, please visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Joint Declaration on the Singapore- Germany Strategic Partnership, 18 November 2024.
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For further information and to discuss what this development might mean for you, please get in touch with your usual Baker McKenzie contact.
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