Brussels, 08/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The visit to South East Asia by European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy ended last Friday in Luang Prabang (Laos) with a meeting of ASEAN Trade and Economic Ministers (see EUROPE of 28 March, p.12). During the meeting, the European and Asian parties agreed to launch an initiative (TREATI - Trans-Regional EU-ASEAN Trade Initiative) to strengthen relations between the EU and ASEAN in the field of trade, investment and regulatory issues. Commenting on the event, Mr Lamy said this was the opening of "a new chapter in EU-ASEAN trade relations". "TREATI will help to build trust between both regions", he added. Both parties will now prepare a roadmap for action for discussion at the meeting of Senior Economic Officials in August 2003 in Singapore. Activities under TREATI should start by 2004. The initiative will be part of the "revamped strategy" currently being developed at the Commission to be presented before the summer.
The Luang Prabang meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss negotiations under way at the WTO in the context of the Doha Development Agenda. Stressing current instability of the international political and economic situation, Europeans and Asians insisted on the WTO's importance to provide predictability, transparency and stability, and reaffirmed the need to conclude "Doha Round" negotiations by the agreed date of end 2004. All participants strongly supported the principle of rapid accession by Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos to the WTO.