ASEAN at 45: Regional Hopes, Global Clout

This report highlights the regional hopes of ASEAN, the region’s quest for global clout and the importance of consolidating a strategic, equal and mutually beneficial partnership between Southeast Asia and the EU. The European Union is planning to re-start negotiations on an ambitious region to-region trade agreement with ASEAN in 2015, in keeping with the region’s plans to forge an integrated economic community in 2015.

The two regions may be very different, but they share many of the same concerns on issues ranging from trade to security. The EU also has much to contribute in “softer” policy areas that are nonethelessvitally important in the process of fostering integration, peace and prosperity. These include human rights, the fight against corruption and the importance of the rule of law, where ASEAN still has a a number of significant actions to be undertaken.

Friends of Europe – Les Amis de l’Europe - Asia Programme Autumn 2012 

Friends of Europe is a leading European think-tank that aims to stimulate thinking on the future of the EU. For more than a decade our contribution has been the confrontation of ideas that is vital to policymaking and to encouraging wider involvement in Europe's future. Friends of Europe’s Asia programme aims to analyse how Asia and Europe can work with each other in the economic, security, political, social and cultural fields, with a strong emphasis on policy recommendations, the Asia Programme contributes to a new EU strategy for Asia.