Debating Europe Series: The EU – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement

Debate panel

- Mr. Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament in Malaysia for the Democratic Action Party

- Mr. Helmut Markov, Member of European Parliament for the GUE/NGL, chairman of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade

- Mr Ignacio García Bercero, Director of Development and management of trade relations with Neighbourhood Countries and with South-East Asia.

Moderator: Mr Darren Ennis (Reuters)

In May 2007, the European Union launched its Asia policy strategy - the New Partnership for the 21st Century with Asia. The initiative included simultaneous negotiations for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India, Korea and ASEAN. The proposed EU-ASEAN FTA aims for reciprocal and progressive liberalization of all goods and services, and the inclusion of the so-called Singapore issues – already rejected by developing countries in the WTO Doha Round negotiations. A distinct feature of the negotiations between the EU and ASEAN is the region-to-region approach. Talks so far however failed to generate the needed momentum and might lead to a bilateral approach to the negotiations, similar to what has happened with ongoing negotiations the EU is conducting with Colombia, Peru and Ecuador after the break of negotiations with the Andean Community of Nations region.

This Debate will deal with some of the following questions: what will be the effect of the FTA on economic development in Southeast Asia? How will the proposed agreement affect the asymmetries within the region? Will it help address the development gaps that exist within the region or will it only exacerbate the disparities and widen the development divide? In case the negotiations with the region shift to a bilateral approach, how will this impact on regional integration in ASEAN, given ASEAN’s own assertions of regional unity with the historic adoption of the ASEAN Charter?

This event is part of 'Debating Europe', a debate series organised in Brussels by the Transnational Institute with policy makers, MEPs and representatives of Civil Society.

For registration and information contact:
Pablosanchez@tni.org
00 32 (0) 486. 50 79 96