The Council of the European Union has published a proposal for a decision establishing the EU position to approve mutual recognition between Singapore's Secure Trade Partnership Plus (STP+) Programme and the EU's Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme. The decision, to be adopted by the EU-Singapore Committee on Customs during its second meeting in 2026, would enable streamlined customs benefits for certified traders on both sides.
The proposal, dated 26 June 2026, follows an equivalence assessment completed in 2023 that included legal comparison and on-site validation visits in two EU member states and Singapore. The assessment found that the qualification standards for security and safety are compatible and lead to equivalent results. The Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore, which entered into force on 21 November 2019, established the Committee on Customs under Article 16.2. The decision will be binding on both parties under Article 16.4(1) and Article 6.17(2) of the Agreement.
The mutual recognition covers the security parts of both trade partnership programmes, including data transmission and mutually agreed benefits. The legal basis for the EU position is Article 207(4) TFEU (common commercial policy) in conjunction with Article 218(9) TFEU.
Impact on stakeholders The decision will primarily benefit certified traders in the EU and Singapore, who will gain reciprocal customs simplifications and reduced security-related checks, lowering administrative and operational costs. EU customs authorities will need to align procedures for recognising Singaporean certifications, requiring minor administrative adjustments. Non-certified traders may face a slight competitive disadvantage as certified peers enjoy faster clearance. The mutual recognition strengthens EU-Singapore trade relations without altering existing security standards, as both programmes have been deemed equivalent.
Institutional follow-up The Council is expected to adopt the decision in the coming weeks, after which the EU position will be presented at the EU-Singapore Committee on Customs meeting. The European Parliament is not required to approve the position, as it falls under common commercial policy. Once adopted by the Committee, the mutual recognition will become operational according to the timeline set out in the decision.