Brussels, 04/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European presence in Asia takes on a new significance, given that the Union with its single comprehensive currency will not fail to establish itself on the international scene. It was within this perspective that the European Commission, as expected, issued a Communication proposing that this interregional relationship be incorporates in a new strategic framework for the next ten years (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 8) .
The document emphasises six key points: strengthening the commitment of the European Community to Asia politically and in terms of security; developing trade relations and the flow of reciprocal investment; effectively contributing to reducing poverty throughout Asia, promoting democracy, good governance and the state of law; establishing alliances with major Asian partners on issues of global importance; and improving reciprocal knowledge. The apprach is essentially regional but the strategy eleaborated by the Commission does take into account the intrinsic diversity of this region, by way of different forms of partnerships put forward by European initiatives destined for southern Asia, south-east Asia, north-east Asia and Australasia.
The Commissioner for External Affairs, Chris Patten; commented that the time had come for the EU to bring its strategic framework up to date since the political and economic face of both Europe and Asia have changed considerably since 1994, the date when the EU first adopted a strategy with regard to Asia. He recalled that in Europe, the arrival of the single currency, the implementation of the CFSP and preparations for enlargement had given the EU more weight on the world scene whilst in Asia (particularly East Asia), the 1997 financial crisis had had a noticeable economic, social and even political impact. Our interdependence has grown, indicated the Commissioner, such that it has become necessary to sign more solid partnerships to meet the challenges and opportunities that are offered by globalisation. The regional and global challenges he was referring to include the fight against poverty, protecting the environment, promoting democracy and human right. He signalled that the Commission would pull the stops out to strengthen regional and global partnerships with Asia and called on EU Member States and their partners in the region to start thinking about how this common goal could be achieved.
The Communication puts forward concrete proposals in several key areas of EU/Asia relations and proposals for launching wider regional-level activities. It is principally a matter of:
1) On issue of peace and security, allowing the EU to play a more active role in regional bodies, promoting the prevention of conflict by sharing common experiences and intensifying the EU/Asia dialogue in terms of justice and internal affairs, an area which includes issues such as the right to asylum, immigration and arms trafficking.
2) Increasing trade and investment which will be facilitated by a better access to markets and better investment conditions on both sides. In particular, it is proposed to encourage contact between private sector companies (particularly SMEs and the high tech sector), strengthening dialogue on economic and financial policies and a greater opening of markets to the poorest countries.
3) fighting more effectively against poverty, gearing European cooperation programmes to pivotal areas such as education, health, economic and social governance or the link between the environment and poverty. Strengthened dialogue on social policy issues is also proposed to allow an exchange of experience on the best ways to raise the challenges of globalisation and modernisation.
4) promoting the role of the civil society and dialogue between Asia and Europe, in the aim of encouraging democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Regarding the sensitive matter of human rights, the Commission considers that "constructive exchange, such as dialogue with China, should prepare the way for better cooperation".
5) concluding partnerships and forming alliances in the management of world issues such as reform of the UN, the WTO, the environment and a whole series of scourges such as international crime, terrorism and the spread of AIDS.
6) improving the mutual knowledge of Europe and Asia, mainly by opening new delegations (beginning with Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and possibly setting up a trade representation office in Taiwan, as already suggested by the Commission in its proposal of 3 July), and by encouraging university, cultural and scientific exchanges as well as contacts between the civil society of the two regions.