European Union (EU) foreign ministers have agreed that the union and theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) need to work together tomove the relationship to a strategic level.
In astatement following their discussions in Luxembourg on June 22, the EUForeign Affairs Council reiterated that the move to an EU-ASEANstrategic partnership would be matched by the EU’s presence at theregion’s strategic table, including at summits, through the EU’sinvolvement in the East Asia Summit process.
Thecouncil stressed the importance of EU-ASEAN cooperation andconnectivity, adding that the EU has valuable assets to support ASEAN inachieving its connectivity goals and is looking forward to stepping upmutually-beneficial cooperation through dedicated mechanisms onsustainable and inclusive economic integration, trade and bordermanagement.
The EU will also provide financialsupport from its cooperation programmes through the European InvestmentBank, Asia Investment Facility and bilateral assistance programmes by EUmember states.
ASEAN is currently the EU’s thirdlargest trade partner outside Europe, and the EU is the biggest investorand the third biggest trade partner of ASEAN after China and Japan.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
In astatement following their discussions in Luxembourg on June 22, the EUForeign Affairs Council reiterated that the move to an EU-ASEANstrategic partnership would be matched by the EU’s presence at theregion’s strategic table, including at summits, through the EU’sinvolvement in the East Asia Summit process.
Thecouncil stressed the importance of EU-ASEAN cooperation andconnectivity, adding that the EU has valuable assets to support ASEAN inachieving its connectivity goals and is looking forward to stepping upmutually-beneficial cooperation through dedicated mechanisms onsustainable and inclusive economic integration, trade and bordermanagement.
The EU will also provide financialsupport from its cooperation programmes through the European InvestmentBank, Asia Investment Facility and bilateral assistance programmes by EUmember states.
ASEAN is currently the EU’s thirdlargest trade partner outside Europe, and the EU is the biggest investorand the third biggest trade partner of ASEAN after China and Japan.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
