The Seventh Meeting between ASEAN and EC Foreign Ministers was convened in Dusseldorf, West Germany, on 2 - 3 May 1988. The Ministerial Meeting held discussions which covered international political and economic issues, regional developments, narcotics and the progress of ASEAN - EC cooperation. The Ministerial Meeting also agreed to intensify ASEAN - EC Industrial Cooperation, particularly in industrial joint ventures scheme and investment fields, including human resources development and other support activities, and welcomed positive progress in these areas of cooperation. Further actions relating to these programmes are to be taken up for consideration at the next ASEAN - EC Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting scheduled to take place in the autumn of 1988.

ASEAN and the EC recognized the vital role which the private sector of both regions can play in increasing European investment in the ASEAN region. In this regard, an EC Expert Group on Industrial Cooperation visited ASEAN countries in February 1988 to identify promising industrial products groups and products for joint venture activities between ASEAN and EC entrepreneurs.

To encourage and to promote European investment in ASEAN, the EC Commission has also informed that it will organize working sessions on "European Investment in ASEAN" throughout the EC countries and the EUROCHAMBERS will issue a magazine on a quarterly basis publicizing the investment conditions and opportunities in ASEAN countries to further enhance these efforts.

The ASEAN - EC Industrial Sectoral Conference on Agro-Food Industry (Aquaculture and Dairy Products) was successfully held in Bangkok on 30 November - 2 December 1987 with 124 participants from ASEAN countries and 60 companies from the EEC. This Conference is the' fifth of a series of industrial conferences aimed at bringing together ASEAN and EC business in specific product areas.

Joint Investment Committees (JICs) are now established in the ASEAN capitals for the purpose of carrying out further measures in promoting effective European investment activities in the ASEAN region.

On trade matter, the ASEAN Ministerial Delegation which visited the EC countries on 19 - 30 November 1987 had succeeded in registering ASEAN's strong opposition and to call on the EC to drop completely the proposed levy on vegetable oils and fats.

Considerable progress has been made in the implementation of ASEAN - EC HRD Projects particularly those which brought about exchanges and contacts between ASEAN and EC Officials and businessmen. An ASEAN - EC Experts Group Meeting on the proposed ASEAN - EC Management Centre was held at the EIPA in Masstricht, INSEAD in Fontainebleau and the EC Commission in Brussels on 22 - 26 February 1988. In this respect, ASEAN and the EC agreed to establish the Management Centre in ASEAN. ASEAN has agreed to locate the Centre in Brunei Darussalam.

During the year under review, two Financial Agreements had been signed with the EC on: ASEAN - EC Industrial Standards and Quality Assurance Programme and the ASEAN - EC Aquaculture Development Programme. The Agreement on the Establishment of the ASEAN - EC Energy Management Training and Research Centre (AEEMTRC) has been agreed upon and will be signed soon.

In the field of tourism, ASEAN expressed appreciation for the contribution provided by the Community toward ASEAN - EEC Tourism Projects. ASEAN expressed its appreciation to the EC for its continued assistance for the ASEAN - EC drug related projects in the areas of drug prevention and rehabilitation.

For more information, please refer to the project details