3/9/2004
Pascal Lamy returns to South-East Asia to strengthen regional trade links

EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy returns to South East Asia from 4-7 September in a visit focused on strengthening regional and bilateral trading links. Mr Lamy will hold consultations with ASEAN Economic Ministers in Jakarta – the fifth such meeting in as many years – followed by a number of bilateral meetings, before travelling on to Singapore for meetings with the newly appointed administration.

Before leaving for Asia Pascal Lamy said, “The ASEAN region is a vital political and economic partner to the EU, not just in the on-going WTO talks, but also at regional and bilateral level. During this visit I want to build upon recent developments in ASEAN’s drive for economic integration to give a further boost to our regional trade relations.”

Indonesia

Mr Lamy will hold consultations with ASEAN Economic Ministers in Jakarta. The meeting will allow Ministers to assess progress and identify future priorities for the Trans-Regional EU-ASEAN Trade Initiative (TREATI), the bi-regional trade initiative launched last year to enhance regulatory co-operation – essential to promoting trade flows between the two regions. Mr Lamy will stress the EU’s continuing commitment to co-operation at regional level and he will underline the importance of strengthening EU-ASEAN economic and trade relations building on the priorities already selected by the ASEAN countries themselves in their own regional integration process. The consultations will provide an opportunity for discussing the trade implications of the recent enlargement of the EU as well as the importance of maintaining new momentum in the on-going WTO talks under the Doha Development Agenda, after the framework agreement reached in Geneva at the end of July 2004.

Mr Lamy will also hold bilateral meetings with the Indonesian trade Minister Ms Soewandi, Mr Watana, Thai Minister of Commerce, Mr Tuyen, Vietnamese Trade Minister, Mr Purisima, Filipino Secretary of Trade and Industry and with Cambodian Trade Minister Cham Prashid.

Singapore

In Singapore (6-7 September) Mr Lamy will meet key figures in the new Government, including PM Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Minister George Yeo, Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. The visit will provide an opportunity to review the state of WTO negotiations as well as bilateral trade issues, including discussion on reinforcing regional economic co-operation in a bilateral context through a partnership and co-operation agreement between the EU and Singapore. This would build upon the existing framework of regional co-operation laid down in TREATI, but will allow for deeper co-operation in certain areas.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) encompasses 10 South East Asian countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma/Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam).

In 2003, EU-ASEAN trade represented 5.8% of total world trade. The enlarged EU is currently ASEAN’s 3rd largest trading partner, accounting for 14% of ASEAN trade.15% of ASEAN exports are destined for the EU, which makes it ASEAN’s 2nd largest export market after the US. Following EU enlargement, ASEAN has become the EU’s 5th largest trading partner. South East Asia’s current economic strengths and its great longer-term potential continue to make it an attractive region for investment by EU economic operators.

The Trans-Regional EU-ASEAN Trade Initiative (TREATI)

TREATI is the framework for dialogue and regulatory co-operation developed to enhance EU trade relations with ASEAN. TREATI addresses key areas relating to trade and investment facilitation – not only traditional areas of co-operation (agricultural and industrial product standards, customs procedures, intellectual property rights, etc.) but also novel themes such as the forestry industry, trade and the environment, and tourism. The process is based upon a gradual deepening of co-operation, starting with co-operation and exchange of experience, with the aim of moving on to develop more substantial regulatory commitments between the two regions over time. A number of activities have already taken place under the TREATI framework in 2004, including workshops on topics such as food safety and business priorities.

TREATI was officially launched as a key component of the Commission’s Communication on “A New Partnership with South East Asia” in July 2003. The priority areas for co-operation under TREATI are: trade facilitation, investment facilitation and promotion, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, industrial product standards, tourism, trade and the environment, forestry products, and Intellectual Property Rights.

It is proposed that TREATI be more closely aligned with ASEAN’s own drive for economic integration. This would involve developing TREATI linkages both with horizontal, cross-cutting ASEAN priorities (trade facilitation, TBT, SPS, investment facilitation and IPR), and with some / all of the priority sectors as resources allow (agro-based products, automotive, electronics, fisheries, healthcare, rubber-based products, tourism and wood-based products).

For further information

http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/asem/index_en.htm