ASEAN-EU

The most significant event in ASEAN- EU relations during this period was the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers Meeting (AEMM) from 22 to 23 September 1994 in Karlsruhe, Germany. At the Meeting, the Ministers had a comprehensive and constructive exchange of views on a number of political, security, economic issues with the aim of enhancing mutual understanding on practical cooperation activities. The Ministers also welcomed the content of the EU's policy paper, released in July 1994, on its new strategy towards Asia. In this regard, the Ministers agreed that ASEAN should remain a cornerstone of the EU's dialogue with the Asian region.

In the area of trade, the 11th AEMM also reaffirmed its commitments to an open multilateral trade system to sustain world economic growth. In this connection, they welcomed the concision of the GATT UR negotiations and the establishment f the World Trade Organisation as a significant step forward for the two-way development of EU-ASEAN trade relations. The Ministers have agreed to continue to improve market access n both regions in order to maintain growth in two-way trade.

In the areas of business and investment, the EU took steps to enhance its presence in ASEAN with the extension of the European Investment Bank (EIB) credit facilities in ASEAN to contribute to the undertaking of joint ventures by the private sectors from the two regions. As of January 1995, the EIB has approved loans totalling 63 million ECU to finance private sector projects in ASEAN.

The first meeting of the EU-ASEAN Business Conference as held in Stuttgart, Germany from 23 to 24 September 1994. Some 350 leading EU and ASEAN business leaders and observers attended. The Conference had two objectives; first, to review EU-ASEAN relations in the context of the fast political and economy, changes taking place in EU, ASEAN and the world at large and, second, to explore new initiatives in promoting closer EU-ASEAN economic cooperation. The Conference participants exchanged views on increasing cooperation in the following areas: trade and investment, technological development in telecommunication and transportation, and environmental protection. The Conference was concluded with a joint representation to the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and EU on the results of the consultations.

ASEAN-EU development cooperation is now also more focused. Priority is being given to the alleviation of poverty, human resource development, protection of the environment and sustainable development, fight against drugs, prevention against AIDS, and the promotion of cultural and media exchange and cooperation in these areas will have to take into account the individual ASEAN countries' needs to participate fully in the economic growth of Southeast Asia.

In the political and security arena, ASEAN and the EU have agreed to strengthen their partnership in addressing global issues. In this regard, the first ASEAN-EU Senior Officials Meeting was held in Singapore from 2 to 4 May 1995 to exchange views on political and security issues affecting the two regions. The Meeting successfully forged closer understanding between the two sides and established common ground on a broad range of political and security issues. The key achievement of the Meeting was a firm endorsement from the EU for an ASEAN initiative for a summit of Asian and European leaders. Tentatively named "The ASIA-Europe Meeting", it will be held in Bangkok, Thailand in March 1996. Participants would include the six ASEAN countries and Vietnam, which will join ASEAN in July, China, Japan and South Korea and the 15 EU nations. This meeting, together with APEC and the existing cooperation mechanism across the Atlantic, will complete the linkages among the regions of the current tri-polar economic world.

Under the ASEAN-EU Cooperation Programme, several new projects were approved during 1994/1995, adding to the list over 25 projects that are on-going. One of the projects approved was ASEAN's proposal for EU Technical Assistance to the ASEAN Secretariat. The project aims to develop a professional staff in the Secretariat equipped with the perspective and methodology of regional policy making and to link up the ASEAN Secretariat with a network of European institutions thereby enhancing existing ties between the two regions. The EU has Agreed to fund the project with a contribution of 506,000 ECU and is now in the process of selecting a sutable international institution to oversee the implementation of the project.

The Second Meeting of the ASEAN-EC JCC Sub-Committee on Forests was convened in Surabaya from 14 to 15 June 1995. The Meeting agreed that ASEAN-EU cooperation in forestry should be increased by developing common. standards of sustainable forest management. With regards to enhancing ASEAN-EU trade in forest products, both sides stressed the need to continue efforts to devise a workable cooperation framework which could involve the participation of the private sector of the two regions.

The future directions of ASEAN-EU will be further enriched by the presence of the ASEAN-EU Eminent Persons Group (EPG). The overall objectives of the group are among others, to analyze the present state of relations between EU and ASEAN, as well as develop a comprehensive approach to ASEAN-EU relations in the years to come. The SOM ASEAN-EU which was held in Singapore from 2-4 May 1995 agreed that the Group consist of 9 eminent person from EU and 7 from ASEAN (including Vietnam). The EU Commission will be responding on the details of financing and methodology of the EPG.