Timor-Leste has been a member of the African Caribbean Pacific grouping since 2005. Since 2000 it has received a total of €337m in assistance from the EU.

Political dialogue

The EU's political dialogue with Timor-Leste focuses on:

• protecting its vulnerable environment, especially in relation to climate change
• defending human rights and gender issues.

 

The EU and Timor-Leste are discussing how to collaborate more closely in multilateral fora on these and other issues.

 

Aid and cooperation

The total volume of current EU support to Timor-Leste is around €130m from the following sources:

• the Country Strategy for 2008-13 allocates €64million from the 10^th  European Development Fund(EDF). Under the 10^th EDF mid-term review, Timor-Leste's allocation is maintained but it is considered to be a fragile state.
• Millennium Development Goals Initiative
• Global Climate Change Alliance

 

The main focus areas for EU assistance and cooperation are:

• rural development – for poverty reduction and food security
• health
• capacity building to improve the country's management systems to support growth and take advantage of the improved terms of trade
• international engagement
• integration of Timor-Leste in its neighbouring region.

 

The 2012 elections in Timor-Leste were observed by an EU-election observation mission.

The possibility of granting visa-free access of Timorese nationals to the EU is currently under examination.