The 29th Meeting of the EU-ASEAN Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was held via videoconference on Friday, 11 February 2022.

Both sides noted this year’s 45th anniversary of the establishment of a Dialogue Partnership between ASEAN and the European Union (EU), a partnership based on shared values and common interests that underpin the comprehensive, dynamic and multifaceted nature of EU-ASEAN relations and the significant role played by ASEAN and the EU in regional and global affairs. Both sides looked forward to the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit, which is due to take place in Brussels in 2022, and looked forward to its substantive outcomes, based on mutual benefit.

Both sides also exchanged views on recent developments in both regions, including regional issues of mutual concern. Cambodia presented its priorities and key deliverables under the theme of “ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together” for ASEAN’s Chairmanship in 2022. The EU provided updates on the implementation of its priorities for 2019-2024, notably the Next Generation EU, European Green Deal, and the Global Gateway. Both sides also expressed support for the implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar.

Both sides reviewed the fourth year of implementation of the EU-ASEAN Plan of Action 2018-2022, welcomed the significant achievements to date, with over 88 percent of action lines either achieved or currently being addressed, and looked forward to the timely conclusion of the next Plan of Action (2023-2027).

Both sides welcomed the adoption by the EU in December 2021 of its new bilateral and regional Multiannual Indicative Programmes 2021-2027 for the Asia-Pacific region, which will provide the means to strengthen the EU-ASEAN partnership, notably in the areas of green and inclusive sustainable development and sustainable connectivity. The programme includes an indicative allocation of EUR 180 million for ASEAN and South-East Asia at the regional level in addition to bilateral cooperation with ASEAN Member States. It will be implemented in partnership with EU Member States in a Team Europe approach.Both sides recognised the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue current efforts to strengthen both regions’ preparedness for, and capacity to respond to, current and future public health emergencies.

Both sides appreciated the second EU-ASEAN Experts’ Dialogue on COVID-19 Vaccines that was held on 25 May 2021. Both sides expressed their continued support to vaccine multilateralism, the World Health Organization and fair, equitable and affordable access to safe and effective vaccines under the multilateral COVAX Facility. In this context, ASEAN recognised the EU’s contribution as the biggest vaccine exporter in the world and its provision of over EUR 3 billion in grants and guaranteed loans to the COVAX Facility to purchase, secure and deliver vaccines to low and middle-income countries and accelerate manufacturing capacity for their global supply.

Both sides emphasised the need for a robust socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that would enable ASEAN and the EU to “build back better”, greener and in a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient manner, including through the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of and their commitment to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC, with a view to promote sustainable development and address the global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental protection, including through the relevant EU-ASEAN dialogue mechanisms.

Both sides also recognised the important role of the Joint Working Group on Palm Oil between relevant ASEAN Member States and the European Union in addressing the growing opportunities and challenges in sustainable vegetable oil production, in particular in the palm oil sector and recalled the successful convening of the 1st Meeting hosted by Indonesia on 27th January 2021. They welcomed the commitment of relevant ASEAN Member States and the European Union to continuing the said JWG and envisaged to hold the 2nd Meeting within the first half of 2022. Both sides also recognise that the Joint Working Group shall be a mechanism between relevant ASEAN Member States and the EU.

Both sides welcomed the outcomes of the 3rd EU-ASEAN High Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change, which took place on 16 September 2021. This Dialogue reaffirmed the importance of strengthening EU-ASEAN collaboration related to the protection of the environment and climate change. The meeting further discussed the potential for an EU-ASEAN Special Ministerial Meeting on environment and climate change and agreed to convene such a meeting at the earliest possibility. Both sides welcomed the launch of the EUR 5 million programme on “Smart Green ASEAN Cities” and the dialogue on Green Technology and Innovation Mapping for plastic waste and sustainable manufacturing.

Both sides recalled the successful convening of the 3rd EU-ASEAN Dialogue on Sustainable Development: Towards a Greener, more Innovative, Equal and Inclusive Future hosted by Thailand on 18 November 2021 and the launch of the Green Team Europe Initiative for ASEAN / Southeast Asia, which could pave the way towards a closer partnership on green and sustainable development. They welcomed the EU’s partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) on sustainable consumption and production in the area of circular economy.

Both sides welcomed the continued wide-ranging, substantive policy dialogues between EU experts and ASEAN counterparts supported by the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI), which promotes dialogue and cooperation on a wide range of policy areas of shared interest. In this respect, both sides welcomed the progress in the dialogue on clean energy and looked forward to holding the 4th EU-ASEAN Human Rights Policy Dialogue.

Both sides underlined the strategic importance of their economic partnership and recognised efforts to further increase and strengthen two-way trade and investment flows between ASEAN and the EU that can support the regions’ comprehensive recovery process, particularly for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. ASEAN and EU officials look forward to the adoption of the EU-ASEAN Trade and Investment Work Programme for 2022-2023 at the 18th AEM-EU Trade Commissioner Consultation in 2022.

Both sides welcomed the plan to enhance digital cooperation as reflected in the EU-ASEAN Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity and in line with the stated vision of the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025. Both sides welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on the EU-ASEAN Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (AE-CATA) as the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement on 2 June 2021 and looked forward to the expeditious signature of the EU-ASEAN Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement to strengthen cooperation on civil aviation and enhance air connectivity between and beyond ASEAN and the EU. They welcomed the success of projects enhancing people-to-people connectivity between and within the regions. The two sides welcomed the flagship EU Support to Higher Education in the ASEAN region (SHARE) programme. They appreciated the first EU-ASEAN High Performance Computing School, that was successfully completed from 5 to 9 July 2021. Both sides welcomed the further development of the ASEAN Digital Index (ADIX) through a series of workshops between 24 May and 17 June 2021 by E-READI.

ASEAN acknowledged the EU support through ARISE-Plus in the operationalisation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS), in particular in providing training, testing, and staging environments to ACTS users, following the transfer of the ACTS to the ASEAN Secretariat in September 2021.

Both sides recognised that peace, security and stability in ASEAN and the EU are vulnerable to a range of common, transboundary threats – including terrorism, violent extremism, cyber attacks, infringements on maritime security and freedom of navigation, illicit trade in and use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials, and the spread of online disinformation.

Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity as previously affirmed in the EU-ASEAN Statement on Cybersecurity Cooperation, which was adopted in 2019.

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 on counter-terrorism and transnational crime (CTTC), within the ASEAN Regional Forum. They underlined the importance of further developing the EU-ASEAN dialogue on security and defence issues and crisis management, and noted the EU’s commitment to adhere to all relevant ASEAN-led security mechanisms, including the ADMM-Plus and the EU’s ambition to become an observer of two ADMM-Plus Expert Working Groups. Both sides looked forward to the EU-ASEAN 5th High Level Dialogue on Maritime Security Cooperation and the 5th EU-ASEAN Security and Defence seminar. The EU encouraged ASEAN Member States to consider enhanced involvement in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy activities.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to regionalism and rules-based multilateralism as well as to respecting and promoting international law and internationally agreed norms and standards, in line with the UN Charter. They also reaffirmed their support for preserving and strengthening an open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, and the need to address barriers to international trade.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Noel Servigon, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to ASEAN, and by Ms. Barbara Plinkert, Head of the South-East Asia Division of the European External Action Service, together with Mr. Mario Ronconi, Head of Unit for South and South-East Asia, European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships. It was attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, officials from the ASEAN Secretariat, the EU, and the European Investment Bank. EU Member States attended as observers.