The 29th Meeting of the ASEAN-EU joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was held recently via videoconference.
At the meeting (Photo: asean.org)
The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Noel Servigon, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN, and by Barbara Plinkert, Head of the South-East Asia Division of the European External Action Service, together with Mario Ronconi, Head of Unit for South and South-East Asia, European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships.
At the event, both sides noted this year’s 45th anniversary of the establishment of a Dialogue Partnership between ASEAN and the European Union (EU). They looked forward to the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit, which is due to take place in Brussels, Belgium in 2022, and hoped for its substantive outcomes, based on mutual benefit.
Both sides also exchanged views on recent developments in both regions, including regional issues of mutual concern. They expressed support for the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar.
Delegates reviewed the fourth year of implementation of the ASEAN-EU 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).
They welcomed the adoption by the EU last December of its new bilateral and regional Multiannual Indicative Programmes 2021-2027 for the Asia-Pacific region. The programme includes an indicative allocation of 180 million EUR for ASEAN and member countries.
Both sides appreciated the second EU-ASEAN Experts’ Dialogue on COVID-19 Vaccines that was held on May 25 last year. In this context, ASEAN recognised the EU’s contribution as the biggest vaccine exporter in the world and its provision of over 3 billion EUR in grants and guaranteed loans to the COVAX Facility.
The 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.
They reaffirmed the importance of and their commitment to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement; recognised the important role of the joint Working Group on Palm Oil between relevant ASEAN nations and the EU in addressing the growing opportunities and challenges in sustainable vegetable oil production.
They welcomed the outcomes of the 3rd ASEAN-EU High Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change, in September 2021, along with the launch of the 5-million-EUR programme on "Smart Green ASEAN Cities” and the dialogue on Green Technology and Innovation Mapping for plastic waste and sustainable manufacturing.
At the meeting, 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.
Source: NDO
The 30th ASEAN-EU joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting has been convened in Jakarta, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening ASEAN-EU cooperation and to uphold ASEAN centrality based on shared relevant fundamental principles of their respective Indo-Pacific approaches.
Vietnamese nationals account for 25.4% of the total 1.82 million foreign workers who were working in Japan as of the end of October last year, according to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).
After a stronger-than-expected recovery in 2022, this year could see international tourist arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East. However, tourists are nonetheless expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home in response to the challenging economic climate.
Myanmar extended its COVID-19 preventive measures until Feb. 28, the state-run media citing the Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19 reported on Wednesday.
The Lao Journalists Association’s website laophattananews.com has recently published an article praising Vietnam’s experiences for good economic growth in the context of global downturn.
Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community for 2021-2024, Satvinder Singh, has affirmed that Vietnam is one of the strongest contributors to ASEAN’s dynamic, resilient economy and is a very critical partner for ASEAN’s integration.
