asem description
About ASEM:
What
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) consists of biennial summits for 10 Asian countries and 16 European representatives (15 EU member states and the president of the European Commission). The meetings aim to promote economic, political and cultural cooperation. ASEM evolved from an idea advanced by Singapore’s PrimeMinister Goh Chok Tong recognizing the need to strengthen Asia-Europe linkages. The forum presented an opportunity for participating countries to share ideas, views and experiences and develop ‘a common vision of the future’ through partnership and cooperation.
Why
There is a recognized need to strengthen the linkages between Asia and Europe. While the Trans-Pacific linkage appears to be strong through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as well as the Trans-Atlantic linkage through the G-7, ties between Asia and Europe have not been developed to their full potential.
When
| Meeting Dates | Location | Chair | Theme | |
| ASEM1 | March 1996 | Bangkok, Thailand | Thailand's Prime Minister, Mr. Barnharn Silphaarcha | "Towards a New Asia-Europe Partnership for Greater Growth |
| ASEM2 | April 1998 | London, UK | UK prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair | ASEM 2 |
| ASEM3 | October 2000 | Seoul, Korea | Partnership for Prosperity and Stability in the New Millenium | |
| ASEM4 | 2002 | Copenhagen, Denmark |
Who
ASEM country members:
| Asia | Europe |
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This list of participating countries is not intended to be exclusive and may be expanded in the future to include countries from both regions. However, surrounding the issue of participation, there are a number of complex political issues, such as the alignment of ASEM country members from Asia with "old ASEAN", a formula that excludes Myanmar/Burma as well as Cambodia and Laos.
Participants in the Asia-Europe Meeting included Heads of State, Members of the European Commission (EC) and Ministers from the Asian and European member countries.
ASEM
in Practice
• Global Issues
• Economic Issues
• Cultural Issues
• The ASEM
Trust Fund: an answer to the Asian
Financial Crisis
Customs Directors and Commissioners met twice in Shenzhen in June 1996 and in Vienna in June 1997 to discuss ways to simplify and harmonize customs procedures between the two regions and expand prevention of the illicit drug trade. A Customs Enforcement Working Group was established to discuss the scope and framework for cooperation in customs enforcement. They also reviewed international customs procedures, and discussed ways for cooperation between Asia and Europe respectively. Each group met in Brussels in 1997 and in 1998.
Environmental issues were also a priority area of focus for ASEM discussions. During ASEM1, Thailand proposed the establishment of an Asia-Europe Environmental Technology Center (AEETC) in Bangkok. The center is to be a focal point for the region’s environmental research and to play a central role in sustainable development policies. AEETC also aims to be a center for the exchange of knowledge between Europe and Asia in environmental technology and to work closely with other environmental centers in Asia and Europe. The AEETC proposal was accepted at ASEM2, and the AEETC was launched in Thailand. With an agreed annual budget of 1.5 million ECU, the AEETC started a Pilot-Phase for three years in 1998.
The Asia-Europe Experts Meeting on Technological Cooperation which was held in April 1997 in Beijing, China, focused on agriculture, environmental protection and modernizing business concerns. Participants discussed current trends and identified areas for technological cooperation between the two regions.
- The Asia-Europe
Vision Group launched at the closing ceremony of ASEM2.
The group's objective is to provide insight for ASEM's
future direction and its course of activities in the new century.
- A Symposium on Human Rights and the Rule of Law held in Lund, Sweden in
December 1997.
- A Symposium on Multimedia and the Future of Electronic Media in Mainz on June
1997.
- An ASEM
Conference on States and Markets in Copenhagen, Denmark in March 1999.
- An ASEM Action
on Child Welfare was initiated by UK and the Philippines. Its aims are to
promote information exchange and greater cooperation among ASEM
countries on child welfare. A preparatory meeting was held in Manila in
June 1998 and a Child Welfare Experts Meeting was held in London in October
1998.
The Senior Officials Meeting on Trade and Investment (SOMTI) met three times (July 1996 in Brussels, June 1997 in Tokyo, and February 1998 in Brussels) to discuss trade facilitation, WTO relations and promotion of investment among ASEM countries. The Economic Ministers of ASEM countries met in September 1997 in Makuhari, Japan to review steps taken and to discuss further steps necessary to promote economic cooperation among ASEM countries. A Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP) and an Investment Promotion Action Plan (IPAP) were developed. They also agreed to establish an Investment Expert Group (IEG) to support these initiatives.
In September 1997, the Finance Ministers from ASEM countries met in Bangkok, Thailand to discuss financial matters between Europe and Asia. The Ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation among ASEM countries in financial supervision and regulation, and in fighting money laundering. They also agreed to study the impact of the Euro on global and Asian financial markets, to enhance macroeconomic policy consultations, strengthen customs cooperation and develop a communication network among Finance Ministers.
On the business front, the Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) was developed through a private-sector led initiative to serve as a platform for communication and discussion of trade, investment and business issues between ASEM countries. AEBF met three times (in Paris, October 1996, in Bangkok, November 1997, and in London, April 1998). Attendance included over one hundred business executives who were interested in establishing industrial and investment links between the two regions. Several other meetings and symposiums were held as offshoots of the AEBFs including a symposium on infrastructure financing, a joint Standing committee on Financial services and Investment and on Risk Sharing and Mitigation and an Asia –Europe Business Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia.
At ASEM1, it was agreed that an Asia-Europe Foundation would be set up in Singapore 'to promote information exchange between think-tanks, people and cultural groups'. The aim of ASEF is to enhance mutual understanding between Asia and Europe through cultural and intellectual exchange. ASEF was launched in February 1997 in Singapore. Since then, ASEF organized a variety of events such as the First Asia-Europe Young Leaders Symposium in Tokyo and Miyazaki, Meeting of Deans of Business Schools in Madrid, and the Europe-Asia Cultural Forum in Paris.
Following the Europe-Asia Forum on Culture, Values & Technology held in Venice, Italy, where recommendations were made to promote university relations between the two regions, two roundtable discussions were held in Brussels and Kuala Lumpur in 1996 and an Europe-Asia Forum on University Relations took place in Naples and Rome in 1997. The Asia-Europe University Forum & Fair was then held in March 1998 in Kuala Lumpur to discuss gaps in academic relations between Europe and Asia, internationalization of higher education and management of university in Asia and Europe, and to facilitate distance learning and updating Asian studies in Europe and European studies in Asia.
At ASEM2, France and Vietnam proposed an initiative on the protection and promotion of cultural heritage in ASEM countries. The first ASEM Experts’ meeting on Protection and Promotion of Cultural Heritage was held in January 1999 in Hanoi Vietnam to develop an action plan.
In response to the Asian financial crisis, ASEM members created the ASEM-EU Asian Financial Crisis Response Fund (ASEM Trust Fund) during ASEM2 in London. The objective of the Fund is to support the crisis-affected countries to recover from the crisis. The Fund also addresses the social impact of the crises and supports preventive activities against a similar crisis in the future.
The first ASEM donor agreement was signed in June 1998 with the United Kingdom, followed by other European countries. The total amount of the Trust Fund is expected to be about $45 million with the European Commission the largest contributor. Commitments to the Fund are expected to end by the end of June 2000. Disbursements of funds are expected to continue until the end of December.
The World Bank is managing this ASEM Financial Crisis Response Fund, providing technical assistance and advice, focusing on social welfare and safety nets, financial and corporate restructuring. The ASEM-TF funds financial sector activities and social sector activities in equal shares of fifty percent. Social-funded projects focus on pension reform, labor market studies, public expenditure reforms and health and education sector reforms. Financial and Corporate funded projects concern the establishing of legal and regulatory frameworks and financial sector infrastructure. The funds are to cover expenditures for activities of the World Bank's consultants and experts on the Asian crisis supported by the Fund. At least 50% of the ASEM Trust Fund allocations have to be for activities in lower and lower-middle class realms. The Bank's obligations include a six-monthly meeting with donors (the most recent in Jakarta, February 3-4 2000) to review progress. As of Spring 2000, 63 projects are underway.