Several measures have been undertaken to improve the effectiveness of the Framework Agreement on the ASEAN Investment Area.  A protocol was signed in September 2001 at the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Investment Area Council in Hanoi to extend its scope by including services incidental to manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, forestry and mining sectors. The timeframe for phasing out the Temporary Exclusion List for the manufacturing sector for ASEAN investors has been shortened from 2010 to 2003.  As stipulated in the Joint Press Statement of the Fourth AIA Ministerial Council Meeting, the ASEAN Investment Area Council has agreed to shorten the end dates for the opening-up of industries and the granting of national treatment for all investors from 2020 to 2010 for the six older ASEAN member countries and 2015 for the newer members.

 The first AIA Council-Business Sector Forum was held in September 2001. Two separate consultations were held with representatives of the United States and Japanese business organizations to exchange views on investment issues and multinationals investment strategies in ASEAN. The business organizations included the US-ASEAN Business Council, American Automotive Association, Keidanren, Japan Electronics Industry and Technology Association, and Japan Automotive Manufacturers Association.

Work on harmonization of FDI data collection and reporting system in ASEAN continued to make good progress.  A comprehensive and comparable set of statistics on foreign direct investment in ASEAN has been published and distributed.   A number of capacity building activities for FDI data compilers and statisticians had been organized in 2001, which included (a) a series of national workshops for statisticians of the newer member countries in May and June 2001 in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation; (b) workshop on �FDI Data Structure and Computerised Database Management Systems� in August 2001 with the support of Japan; and (c) technical cooperation with various countries and international organizations, such as the Japanese Government, Hanns Seidel Foundation, Statistics New Zealand, IMF and UNCTAD.

 To help bridge the development gap among the ASEAN countries and to promote better understanding on key issues of FDI to the region, the following activities were  implemented: (a) seminars on �Key Issues of Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN� in October 2000 and August 2001; (b) Seminar on Investment Opportunities in New ASEAN Member Countries in April 2001; (c) Workshop on Investment Promotion Skills, Efficiency and Technology Transfer for Senior Investment Officials of CLMV Countries in October 2001.

To promote investments and enhance transparency in the region, the following publications were published and disseminated: (a) ASEAN Investment Report 2001; (b) Facts and Figures 2001: Cost of Investing and Doing Business in ASEAN; (c) AIA Facilitation Series No. 1: Industrial Estates, Export Processing Zones, Free Trade Zones, Science and Technology Parks; and (d) Statistics of Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN 2001 edition.  

          ASEAN has commenced work on new initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of the region, including (a) the establishment of an ASEAN investment portal; (b) the formulation of an ASEAN investment initiative, and (c) the establishment of an ASEAN Multinational Database to complement the existing ASEAN Supporting Industry Database.