EU supports 50 million euros for ASEAN integration process
The EU will allocate 50 million EUR (56.1 million USD) to consolidate integration and facilitate trade for ASEAN, said EU Ambassador to ASEAN Francisco Fontan Pardo.
EU Ambassador to ASEAN Francisco Fontan Pardo (Photo: bernama.com)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA)ಞ – The EU will allocate 50 million EUR (56.1 million USD) to consolidate integration and facilitate trade for ASEAN, said EU Ambassador to ASEAN Francisco Fontan Pardo.
The EU will come up with new funds and ideas to support the ASEAN secretariat in the next four to five years, Fontan Pardo told the press in Kuala Lumpur during his first visit to Malaysia on March 22.
“The funds will be used for economics, trade, environment and people-to-people relations such as human rights,” he said.
Biodiversity and climate change issues are also among the EU’s main focuses. It plans to inject 20 million EUR (22.4 million USD) for the cause and additional 10 million EUR (11.2 million USD) for biodiversity preservation in Southeast Asia.
As the EU and ASEAN are strong trading partners and primary sources of investment in the regions, the EU has an interest in ASEAN’s success, the EU ambassador said.
Regarding the “open sky” plan between the two sides, he stressed that European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc wants to start negotiations on the ambitious plan, adding that the EU is seeking agreement from ASEAN member states.
On the EU-Malaysia free trade agreement, Fontan Pardo said that the two sides are ready to resume talks after putting them on hold, as Malaysia made a lot of efforts to conclude Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.-VNA
Sajid Javid, UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has written an article on reasons why Britain wants to strengthen economic ties with South East Asia.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and the European Commission have adopted the joint communication “The EU and ASEAN: a partnership with a strategic purpose”, which aims to take bilateral ties to the next level.
European Union (EU) foreign ministers have agreed that the union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) need to work together to move the relationship to a strategic level.
Representatives from ASEAN and the European Union (EU) reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the existing close trade and investment relations between the regions.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
EU Ambassador to ASEAN Francisco Fontan Pardo (Photo: bernama.com)
