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.
