In 1977 the EU and Syria signed a Cooperation Agreement which governs relations, which serves as the foundation for EU-relations.[5] 2004 and 2008 saw further bilateral agreements between the EU and Syria.[5] Syria also joined the EU's Union for the Mediterranean (and previously the Barcelona Process) and the European Neighbourhood Policy - but does not fully benefit pending the application of the EU-Syria Association Agreement which was signed in 2009,[6] and was suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean in 2011.[7][8]