ASEAN's dialogue relationship with Australia entered a new phase with the prospect of expanding into new areas of cooperation. At the 13th ASEAN-Australia Forum held in Singapore in May 1990, ASEAN and Australia agreed to embark on new areas of cooperation on the environment, telecommunication and education and training. The ability of ASEAN and Australia to adapt to new developments bears testimony to the success of the dialogue relationship.
ASEAN's trade and investment links with Australia remain an important part of the dialogue relationship although trade between Australia and ASEAN has more than tripled from A$ 2.4 billion to A$ 7.9 billion from 1980 to 1990, Australia's trade with ASEAN has not grown as rapidly as compared with its other trading partners. Australia's investment of A$ 1.5 billion in ASEAN in 1989 is small compared to ASEAN's investments of A$ 7.3 billion in Australia. ASEAN and Australia examined how the trade and investment flows between the two sides can be increased. In this regard, the specific proposals from the private sector for discussion at the 14th Forum were particularly pertinent and timely.
The prospects for more substantial trade links and the increase in complementaries between ASEAN and Australia remain good. Asia Pacific trade, which is forecast to account for over 50% of world trade by the year 2000, will create considerable opportunities for the expansion of trade and investments between ASEAN and Australia. However, such an expansion has to be accompanied by a reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting ASEAN's export interests.
ASEAN and Australia have both made efforts to encourage the private sectors of ASEAN and Australia to play a greater role in enhancing the relationship. The participation of the ASEAN and Australian private sectors is vital to the dialogue as they are engines of growth in our respective economies. ASEAN-Australia cooperation could not respective economies. ASEAN-Australia cooperation could not be meaningful without engaging the efforts and enthusiasm of their respective private sectors. The ASEAN and Australian private sectors were strongly represented at the 14th ASEAN - Australia, Canberra 22-23 April 1991. This Forum helped quicken the pace and scope of ASEAN- Australia cooperation in the field of trade and industry.
A review of the ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Programme (AAECP) II was agreed to be undertaken. Although it was agreed in principle that a review of AAECP II be undertaken, the Australian paper proposing the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the review was not be accepted outright during the Third Meeting of the AAECP-Joint Planning Committee, Singapore, 10-11 April 1991. ASEAN would study it carefully and forward its comments by 30 June 1991.
Australia was requested to take into consideration, but should not be made mandatory, the five factors on Intellectual Property Rights - intellectual contributions; financial contributions; and the contributions of pre-existing intellectual properly; materials and research efforts; facilities provided by each party and such other relevant considerations as the participating parties may mutually determine.
The Meeting agreed that TIPP should be extended into years 1992/93 and 1993/94 at the same level of funding. The TIPP planning meeting in September or October 1991 would decide upon the composition of TIPP for these years with the participation of the ASEAN- Australian Business Council and also will discuss handicraft concessions. The future of TIPP beyond Phase 11 would be subject to the review of AAECP as a whole during the next year.
On the Fourth ASEAN Food Conference, the ASEAN Science Fund and the Third ASEAN Science and Technology Week (TASTW), it was noted that :
Australia has offered to implement proposals for regional cooperation in the language training, regional programme of targeted institutional research and academic linkages, and arrangements for reciprocal recognition of qualifications and skills. It was further explored during the 14th ASEAN-Australia Forum.
ASEAN and Australia agreed that there should be no regional standard-setting body separate from the International Telecommunications Union and that regular consultations and exchange of information on telecommunication issues would be of mutual benefit. The 14th Forum discussed the topics of telecommunications trade considerations, policy developments in Australia and ASEAN countries and personal communication networks.
The Specialist Group Discussion on Telecommunications, taking place for the first time, established that telecommunication is an important economic trade consideration for the ASEAN-Australia Forum. There was general agreement that a better understanding of the various telecommunications policy regimes in ASEAN and Australia will facilitate growth in trade of telecommunications services and goods and contribute to the economic prosperity of the region as a whole. It was acknowledged that greater liberalization of telecommunications policy and regulatory arrangements will further assist this growth. Major areas of policy discussion were : market needs, financing needs, private sector involvement, third party resale, trade in value added network services, the role of standards and access to world class technology on a long term commercial basis.
ASEAN and Australia realized that practical ways should be found to strengthen the ASEAN- Australia environment information exchanged. The ASEAN-Australia Business Council was encouraged to play a role in finding solutions to environmental problems in greater exchanges between interested business groups.

For more information, please refer to the project details

ASEAN-Australia
ASEAN's dialogue relationship with Australia entered a new phase with the prospect of expanding into new areas of cooperation. At the 13th ASEAN-Australia Forum held in Singapore in May 1990, ASEAN and Australia agreed to embark on new areas of cooperation on the environment, telecommunication and education and training. The ability of ASEAN and Australia to adapt to new developments bears testimony to the success of the dialogue relationship. ASEAN's trade and investment links with Australia remain an important part of the dialogue relationship although trade between Australia and ASEAN has more than tripled from A$ 2.4 billion to A$ 7.9 billion from 1980 to 1990, Australia's trade with ASEAN has not grown as rapidly as compared with its other trading partners. Australia's investment of A$ 1.5 billion in ASEAN in 1989 is small compared to ASEAN's investments of A$ 7.3 billion in Australia. ASEAN and Australia examined how the trade and investment flows between the two sides can be increased. In this regard, the specific proposals from the private sector for discussion at the 14th Forum were particularly pertinent and timely. The prospects for more substantial trade links and the increase in complementaries between ASEAN and Australia remain good. Asia Pacific trade, which is forecast to account for over 50% of world trade by the year 2000, will create considerable opportunities for the expansion of trade and investments between ASEAN and Australia. However, such an expansion has to be accompanied by a reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting ASEAN's export interests. ASEAN and Australia have both made efforts to encourage the private sectors of ASEAN and Australia to play a greater role in enhancing the relationship. The participation of the ASEAN and Australian private sectors is vital to the dialogue as they are engines of growth in our respective economies. ASEAN-Australia cooperation could not respective economies. ASEAN-Australia cooperation could not be meaningful without engaging the efforts and enthusiasm of their respective private sectors. The ASEAN and Australian private sectors were strongly represented at the 14th ASEAN - Australia, Canberra 22-23 April 1991. This Forum helped quicken the pace and scope of ASEAN- Australia cooperation in the field of trade and industry. A review of the ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Programme (AAECP) II was agreed to be undertaken. Although it was agreed in principle that a review of AAECP II be undertaken, the Australian paper proposing the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the review was not be accepted outright during the Third Meeting of the AAECP-Joint Planning Committee, Singapore, 10-11 April 1991. ASEAN would study it carefully and forward its comments by 30 June 1991. Australia was requested to take into consideration, but should not be made mandatory, the five factors on Intellectual Property Rights - intellectual contributions; financial contributions; and the contributions of pre-existing intellectual properly; materials and research efforts; facilities provided by each party and such other relevant considerations as the participating parties may mutually determine. The Meeting agreed that TIPP should be extended into years 1992/93 and 1993/94 at the same level of funding. The TIPP planning meeting in September or October 1991 would decide upon the composition of TIPP for these years with the participation of the ASEAN- Australian Business Council and also will discuss handicraft concessions. The future of TIPP beyond Phase 11 would be subject to the review of AAECP as a whole during the next year. On the Fourth ASEAN Food Conference, the ASEAN Science Fund and the Third ASEAN Science and Technology Week (TASTW), it was noted that : i. it should be possible to make a contribution of A$ 50,000 to the Fourth ASEAN Food Conference from savings within 3 years of the AAECP II; ii. Australia reaffirmed its willingness to make a financial contribution in 1990/ 1991 to the ASEAN Science Fund following receipt of more information concerning the Fund; and iii. Australia agreed to give positive consideration to a contribution of A$ 200,000 to the TASTW in 1992/1993 following the receipt of further information from ASEAN. Australia has offered to implement proposals for regional cooperation in the language training, regional programme of targeted institutional research and academic linkages, and arrangements for reciprocal recognition of qualifications and skills. It was further explored during the 14th ASEAN-Australia Forum. ASEAN and Australia agreed that there should be no regional standard-setting body separate from the International Telecommunications Union and that regular consultations and exchange of information on telecommunication issues would be of mutual benefit. The 14th Forum discussed the topics of telecommunications trade considerations, policy developments in Australia and ASEAN countries and personal communication networks. The Specialist Group Discussion on Telecommunications, taking place for the first time, established that telecommunication is an important economic trade consideration for the ASEAN-Australia Forum. There was general agreement that a better understanding of the various telecommunications policy regimes in ASEAN and Australia will facilitate growth in trade of telecommunications services and goods and contribute to the economic prosperity of the region as a whole. It was acknowledged that greater liberalization of telecommunications policy and regulatory arrangements will further assist this growth. Major areas of policy discussion were : market needs, financing needs, private sector involvement, third party resale, trade in value added network services, the role of standards and access to world class technology on a long term commercial basis. ASEAN and Australia realized that practical ways should be found to strengthen the ASEAN- Australia environment information exchanged. The ASEAN-Australia Business Council was encouraged to play a role in finding solutions to environmental problems in greater exchanges between interested business groups. For more information, please refer to the project details