Commission prepares Seoul Summit, which is expected in October to relaunch ASEM process and draw up an updated cooperation framework

Brussels, 18/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - In a working document adopted on Tuesday, the European Commission proposes five priorities for the third EU/Asia Summit to be held on 20 and 21 October 2000 in Seoul, in the framework of ASEM dialogue. After the Bangkok Summit launching in March 1996 this informal dialogue between the EU and ten Asian countries (ASEAN of the time, China, Korea and Japan), and the London Summit in April 1998 marked by the Asian economic crisis, the Seoul Summit will have to confirm and develop this partnership and maintain its dynamism and relevance, dispelling any feeling of lassitude within ASEM, noted the European Executive. These priorities would be integrated into the "Updated Framework of Cooperation between Asia and Europe", to be adopted in Seoul.

The goal is to create a solid structure for dialogue in the upcoming decade, while insisting on aspects that can boost the support of public opinion and business circles to the process, such as cultural and university exchanges or the promotion of investment. The Commission also mentions among its priorities the difficult question of enlargement of the dialogue to new Asian partners.

The Commission is proposing general priorities and five short-term priorities based on the three pillars of ASEM dialogue: political issues, economic and financial questions, cultural and intellectual questions. Generally, the objective is to exploit and deepen the acquis of the process. Dialogue should continue to play its informal role of improving mutual comprehension but should also make it possible to address issues of disagreement such as the defence of human rights. The Commission is also proposing the development of dialogue between Parliaments. In the short term, the five priorities would be the following.

• The development of dialogue between Asia and the EU on questions of regional and global security, notably on aspects such as conflict prevention, peacekeeping, cooperation in non-military security and also terrorism and international crime, computer piracy, etc.
• Cooperation based on specific results in the commercial and economic sectors, including via dialogue on social policy. The implementation of two action plans to facilitate trade and protect the environment, adopted in the framework of ASEM, would be continued and cooperation developed for the strengthening of the WTO and experience sharing in financial surveillance.
• Enhancement of educational exchanges. Several initiatives are being prepared in this sector. The Commission is proposing: i) an increase in the number of grants at bilateral level so as to multiply fivefold student exchanges between the two regions of the world during the next decade; ii) the launch of a prestigious grant programme, inspired by the Jean Monnet grants and the Rhodes and Fulbright programmes; iii) promotion of exchanges of young working people, in particular through training programmes in enterprises.
• The setting in place of networks and cooperation in the field of consumer protection and food safety. Dialogue could also result in "contribution to the creation of associations in Asian countries where there are no consumer organisations yet".
• Enlargement of Asem dialogue to new partners. The Asian members of ASEM traditionally envisage such enlargement with reticence, fearing that the process will be thrown off balance by the arrival of regional heavy-weights like India or Australia in particular. The question could be even more controversial as the Commission does not leave any margin for enlargement on the European side before enlargement of the EU itself, and repeats that "one must of course continue to stress the role of the EU as a union" (it is known that certain Member States like the United Kingdom and France have sometimes tried to play lone cavalier during the Asem meetings).

Set in place in 1996, the Asem dialogue is held with twice yearly meetings of heads of State, regular meetings of foreign ministers and finance ministers, and meetings of senior officials and technical or university meetings on subjects such as human rights, the environment, education, the fight against the exploitation of women and children, etc. Various bodies have been set in place in the context of Asem, mainly an Asian-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and an Asia-Europe Environment technologies Centre (AETTC). In the economic sector, business dialogue is developing and sector-specific dialogue has been set in place with regard to transport and SMEs. A multitude of Internet sites diffuse information of all kinds on Asem.