At the end of the EU-Asia (ASEM) summit on Friday 19 October, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that the 53 delegations represented had "committed to strengthening multilateralism at different levels and in several sectors", especially the fight against climate change, free trade and digitisation.
In the Presidency's conclusions, the leaders state that ASEM is "the main platform for Europe and Asia to strengthen dialogue, foster cooperation including on multilateralism, and tackle global challenges together".
"Recent international developments have boosted the relevance of ASEM as a building block for effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order anchored in international law and with the United Nations at its core", the declaration adds.
As proof of the intensity of relations, the leaders highlight their shared interest, in this declaration, in strengthening sustainable connectivity between Asia and the EU via the three ASEM pillars – political and security challenges, a partnership for economic and financial challenges, and cultural and social links – as a way of bringing their countries, peoples and societies closer together.
Foreign and security policy
Speaking to press, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini highlighted the joint work on security, the priorities of the foreign policy programmes, and strengthening cooperation on international and regional security.
In the declaration, the leaders commit to strengthening their collaboration in the framework of ASEM to fight against radicalisation leading to violence, terrorism and cross-border crime. They nevertheless warn that the measures taken must respect human rights especially.
The leaders also commit to ASEM cooperation in the area of information technology (IT) and information and communications technology (ICT) and digital connectivity, stating the need for an open ICT environment that is safe, stable, accessible and peaceful. While it is important to fight against cyber crimes, to prevent the potential use of ICT for criminal or terrorist purposes, it is necessary to protect human rights, online freedom and the protection of private life and data, they add.
"We recognise the challenges and opportunities posed by migration and the need to work together for a comprehensive global response", European Council President Donald Tusk stated at the closing ceremony. To curb irregular migration, the leaders support a comprehensive international response, based on solidarity, greater global responsibility and common coordinated actions, including the obligation for all countries to readmit their own citizens, and agreed routes for regular migration, in respect of national competences.
The declaration also addresses how to foster and strengthen cooperation on issues of peace and security that are of common interest, especially Afghanistan, Syria, the Middle East, North Africa and Ukraine. They state their determination to have the global non-proliferation regime respected and underline the importance of nuclear safety.
Iran, Burma and South Korea
The declaration covers more particularly the Korean peninsula, Iran and Burma. The leaders welcome South Korea's efforts and other diplomatic initiatives to establish sustainable peace and security on the peninsula, calling on North Korea to fully dismantle all its nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, its ballistic missiles and related programmes and installations. "We commit together - Europe and Asia - to make the negotiations a success and to accompany them in the best way possible", Mogherini stated.
On Iran, ASEM reiterates its support for diplomatic efforts and for the joint comprehensive action plan, including as regards the lifting of sanctions. " Preserving the nuclear deal with Iran is a matter of respecting international agreements, and promoting international security, peace and stability", Mogherini states.
The conflict in Rakhine State in Burma and the situation of the Rohingya minority, who are not named specifically, is also discussed. It is important to find "a comprehensive and durable solution to address the root causes of the conflict in Rakhine State", the declaration says. The leaders underline the need to establish conducive conditions for the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return and reintegration of displaced persons to Rakhine State. They also underline the importance of accountability, but do not enter into details, and express their continued support "to bring peace, stability, rule of law, and reconciliation among various communities, as well as to ensure sustainable and equitable development in Rakhine State".
Support for WTO
In their declaration the ASEM leaders state their support for multilateralism and for an open and regulated economy, the Word Trade Organisation (WTO) being the pillar. We need free and fair trade, which benefits all participants, Kurz summed up.
While the principle of reforming the architecture and operation of the WTO is generally accepted by the ASEM partners, differences exist as to the breadth of this renovation, which the EU would like to be ambitious - state enterprises, subsidies (see EUROPE 12098) - which will not please all its Asian partners.
According to European sources, the "modernisation" terminology proposed by the Europeans has been replaced by the term "reform" at the request of China - implying addressing more the architecture and mechanisms than the range of subjects covered. The EU would like Beijing to commit to reforms on subsidies and the role of its state enterprises.
China in question
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström met China's minister for trade, Zhong Shan, to discuss this point. Their meeting also covered other important elements of their trade relationship, such as the ongoing bilateral negotiations on investments, the problem of overcapacity in certain Chinese sectors - including steel and aluminium - and the role of state enterprises. It is important for EU companies to be able to operate in an open and non-discriminatory environment, she tweeted after the meeting.
The ASEM partners also support the need to strengthen and refocus their trade relations. Three free trade agreements between the two regions are furthermore on track (see EUROPE 12119).
Vietnam
The trade agreements with Vietnam, recently adopted by the Commission, but not yet signed, will doubtless have to wait still. The chances of MEPs approving these treaties before the end of this legislature seem extremely weak, due especially to Hanoi's very mixed results on human rights (see EUROPE 12115). The bilateral meeting between Vietnam's trade minister, Trân Tuân Anh, and Malmström enabled Malmström to speak about how to improve the outlook for implementation of the free trade agreement and investment protection agreement.
Japan and Singapore
As to the other two treaties - the economic partnership agreement with Japan, on the one hand (see EUROPE 12064) and the trade and investment agreements with Singapore, on the other - bets are open as to the likelihood of their being approved by MEPs in the coming months. While the agreement with Japan is doubtless too big to fail for European economic interests, observers note that some MEPs on the left of the political spectrum could, in return, oppose the agreement with Singapore (see other article).
The leaders also underline the importance of strengthening ASEM cooperation in cross-border investment and trade, and of continuing the structural work for stronger economic integration, both on the regional and global level. They also recognise the need to work together to find solutions to the challenges linked to the rapid expansion of the digital economy and information and communication technology, especially at the level of taxation.
Joint work on climate: this subject was addressed in the framework of global challenges to be tackled jointly. "It is in acting together that we will be able to preserve our planet", European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stated at the opening of the summit. Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz meanwhile underlined, at the close of the summit, that there was a need "for us to uphold all our commitments".
In their final statement, European and Asian leaders recognise that climate change is a serious challenge, the dramatic impact of which is felt throughout the world, and say that there is a need for urgent and effective action from all countries, in line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement. They note that the final IPCC special report unequivocally confirmed the negative impact of climate change. The two parties express their deep concern with regard to the fact that current efforts are insufficient to achieve the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, but they do not mention the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius, however. The European Council made that clear in Brussels the previous day (see EUROPE 12120).
Europeans and Asians reaffirm their commitment to turn towards the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and to complete the Paris work programme at COP 24 in Katowice (Poland, 2-14 December), in respect of the principles of fairness, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, written into this universal agreement.
The leaders of both parties agree to cooperate to strengthen the global response to climate change by ambitious actions in a vast range of areas – clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, low-emission technologies, industry, transport, agriculture and forestry. This cooperation will also aim at the mobilisation of financial resources for climate action, and the prevention of deforestation and desertification.
European and Asian leaders furthermore confirmed their commitment to fully implementing the universal sustainable development goals for 2030 and the Addis Ababa action agenda, with a view to eradicating poverty and building a sustainable future for all. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel, Camille-Cerise Gessant et Aminata Niang)