27th ASEAN-EU Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting convenes in Jakarta
Joint Press Statement
27th ASEAN-EU Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting Convenes in Jakarta
1. The 27th Meeting of the ASEAN-EU Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was held on Thursday, 19 March 2020, in Jakarta.
2. At the meeting, ASEAN and EU officials recalled the depth of their partnership dating back to 1972, exemplified by the EU’s status as ASEAN's largest source of foreign investment, its second-largest trading partner, and ASEAN's number one partner in development cooperation with over €200 million of assistance aimed at strengthening regional integration and supporting the ASEAN Secretariat. The two sides also recalled that the 22nd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Brussels in 2019 agreed in principle to upgrade ASEAN-EU relations to a Strategic Partnership, and looked forward to the timely conclusion of the upgrade.
3. ASEAN and EU officials agreed to further intensify efforts towards sharing information and best practices for responding effectively to the global Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak which has been designated by the World Health Organisation as a pandemic. Both sides looked forward to the ASEAN-EU videoconference on COVID-19 on Friday, 20 March 2020, recognising that the rapid organisation of the event illustrated the flexible and responsive character of ASEAN-EU cooperation. They acknowledged the potential impact of COVID-19 on economic activity and people-to-people exchanges while acknowledging that the response should be calibrated and evidence-based.
4. The Meeting also exchanged views on recent developments in both regions. Vietnam presented its priorities and key proposed deliverables under the theme of a “Cohesive and Responsive” ASEAN in 2020, as well as ASEAN efforts to strengthen ASEAN identity amongst citizens in its member states. The EU updated on its New Strategic Agenda 2019-2024, and implementation of the European Commission’s priorities, notably the European Green Deal, ensuring an economy at the service of citizens, and adapting to the digital age.
5. Both sides reiterated the strategic importance of their economic partnership, with a view to increase and strengthen two-way trade and investment flows between ASEAN and the EU. They welcomed the 3rd meeting of the ASEAN-EU FTA Joint Working Group, which took place on 20-21 February 2020 in Brussels, which discussed the development of a framework setting out the parameters of a future ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement.
6. Officials reviewed the second year of implementation of the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action 2018-2022 and welcomed the significant achievements to date, with over 80% of action lines either achieved or currently being addressed.
7. Both sides reaffirmed that promoting sustainable development and the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was a priority. Recalling the successful convening of the 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Sustainable Development: Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, held in Brussels on 10 February 2020, both sides looked forward to further enhancing their partnership on sustainable development, notably in the areas of green finance, regional integration, SDG implementation and gender, and through establishing the ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Sustainable Development as a regular meeting. The JCC was informed that the 3rd Dialogue was expected to be convened in 2021 in Thailand, to review concrete initiatives and joint progress in the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
8. Both sides welcomed the strength of their partnership to address the global challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. They welcomed the EU’s announcement at the Dialogue on Sustainable Development of initiatives to contribute to the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, in line with the European Green Deal and in close coordination with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and European Financial Institutions, and to partner with the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) in the area of sustainable consumption and production. Both sides agreed to continue exploring initiatives in circular economy, natural capital, sustainable finance and sustainable clean energy through existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change. Both sides looked forward to launching the new EU programmes on regional forest governance (FLEGT) for Southeast Asia and on SMART Green Cities.
9. On trade and economic connectivity, both sides looked forward to the official launch of the ‘ASEAN Customs and Transit System’ (ACTS) under the flagship programme “ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU” (ARISE Plus). ACTS is expected to facilitate cross-border land transport, benefitting businesses operating in the region. Working at regional and national levels, ARISE Plus encompasses a wide range of activities including trade facilitation, road transport, civil aviation, intellectual property rights, and supporting the negotiation and implementation of bilateral FTAs between the EU and relevant ASEAN member states.
10. Both sides reiterated their support for enhanced connectivity between ASEAN and the EU, based on sustainability, market principles and internationally agreed rules, norms and standards. They encouraged the expeditious conclusion of the ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement. They welcomed the success of people-to-people connectivity between the regions, notably through the flagship EU-SHARE programme. They welcomed the 12th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus EU Dialogue (TELSOM + EU) Meeting held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 23 October 2019, which endorsed the 2020 ASEAN-EU ICT Work Plan to advance cooperation including the on-going development of an ASEAN digital economy and society benchmarking index under the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI) Facility. They looked forward to this year’s dialogue in Malaysia.
11. Officials on both sides welcomed the continued wide-ranging, substantive policy dialogues between EU experts and ASEAN counterparts supported by the ‘E-READI’ facility in priority areas such as transport, gender or sustainable development. In this respect, both sides welcomed the successful holding of the 3rd ASEAN-EU Human Rights Policy Dialogue in Brussels in November 2019.
12. Both sides recognised that peace, security and stability in ASEAN and the EU are vulnerable to a range of common, transboundary threats – including terrorism, cyber security attacks, infringements on maritime security and freedom of navigation, and illicit trade in and use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. They welcomed the growing engagement between the ASEAN and the EU on a broad range of security and defence-related issues, including the EU’s active engagement as co-chair of two thematic work streams, on maritime security as well as counter-terrorism and transnational crime (CTTC), within the ASEAN Regional Forum. They underlined the importance of further developing the ASEAN-EU dialogue on security and defence issues and crisis management, and noted the EU’s ambition to adhere to all relevant ASEAN-led security mechanisms including the ADMM-Plus. The EU encouraged ASEAN Member States to consider enhanced involvement in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy activities.
13. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to regionalism and multilateralism as well as to promoting international law and internationally agreed norms and standards, which contribute to a peaceful, fair and prosperous world. They also reaffirmed their support for preserving and strengthening an open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core, and the need to address barriers to international trade.
14. The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Kok Li Peng, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Singapore to ASEAN, and by Ambassador Igor Driesmans, Head of the European Union Mission to ASEAN. It was attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, officials from the ASEAN Secretariat and the EU.
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Jakarta
19 March 2020