The Eighth Meeting of the ASEAN-EC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held in Brussels on 30 November - 2 December 1988, reviewed the implementation of the activities under the Cooperation Agreement and also the activities to follow-up on the results of the Seventh ASEAN-EC Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) held in Dusseldorf in May 1988.

On the implementation of the activities arising from the Seventh AEMM, ASEAN and the EC agreed that the functions of the "Joint Investment Committees (JICs) which have been set up in all the ASEAN countries, could be improved and the scope could be broadened. The JICs should also play an important role in the implementation of the many programmes contained in the "Memorandum of Industrial Cooperation" as well as in the promotion of the "EC International Investment Partnership Scheme" both of which were concluded at the Seventh AEMM in May 1988. In this regard, the First Meeting of the ASEAN - EC Working Group on Industrial Cooperation was held on 1-3 February 1989 in Bangkok. The Meeting agreed on the programme for industrial cooperation, particularly, on holding of workshops to promote AIJVs.

On the implementation of the activities under the Cooperation Agreement, ASEAN and the EC agreed that since the cooperation on Human Resources Development (HRD) had been underway for several years, a joint evaluation of those activities would be necessary to assess their impacts and examine the possibility of improving the methodology, preparation, design and implementation of future training projects. In this regard, ASEAN and the EC would convene an Experts Group Meeting in the second half of 1989 to evaluate the HRD activities. Another concrete example of ASEAN - EC Management Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan. Other activities undertaken are the ASEAN - EC Teachers/Trainers Programme since 1983 and the Conference on Privatization: "Lessons from Europe and ASEAN" jointly organised by the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) and the Institute of South-East Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore on 1 6-18 February 1989.

On development cooperation, ASEAN and the EC were satisfied that the projects had been implemented with a view to promote regional interest as well as to strengthen linkages between ASEAN and the Community. In the field of energy, the recent establishment of the Joint EC-ASEAN Centre for Energy Training and Research Management in Jakarta was an important step forward in strengthening ASEAN - EC cooperation in the field of energy. A Joint Programme of Actions for the Centre had also been put up.

On science and technology cooperation, the recent creation of Joint Scientific Ventures and Technical Assistance Actions would open up promising industrial researches particularly down-stream activities.

Specific trade issues and access to market were taken up by the Second Meeting of Joint Trade Experts on 28 November 1988 which took place before the Eighth ASEAN - EC JCC Meeting. ASEAN and the EC agreed that the Meeting had been most useful and had allowed a more-in-depth discussion and a better understanding of the position of the two parties. It was agreed that this group should continue consultations.

ASEAN stressed the need to improve market access and this could be achieved through the improvement of the EC's GSP Scheme and the liberalisation of its tariffs and non-tariff measures. ASEAN also expressed its concern over the negative effects of the recent increase of anti dumping investigation on ASEAN exports.

On GSP, while some improvement had been provided to meet several ASEAN requests in the industrial sector under the 1989 GSP Scheme, ASEAN stressed the importance of agriculture and processed food products in ASEAN exports and reiterated its requests for improvements in these sector. ASEAN also reiterated the importance of introducing the Donor Country Content in the GSP Scheme and appreciated that the EC would consider this possible modification in 1989.

On international commodity issues, ASEAN appreciated the Community's decision to ratify the International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) 1987 and its positive position on the International Tin Study Group (ITSG).

The Joint Trade Experts Group also discussed the creation of a Single European Market in 1992. The EC underlined that the goals linked in the creation of a single unified market would lead to the improvement of its competitivity and would further stimulate the liberalisation of international trade and services and contribute to sustained world economic growth. The EC assured ASEAN that ASEAN should be in favorable position to benefit from the new environment in 1992 as it would increase opportunities for ASEAN to enlarge its market share in the EC. This has resulted in a plan to hold the Colloquium: ASEAN and Europe 1992 Implications and Resources scheduled for 10-11 July 1989 in Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, please refer to the project details