Strengthening the connectivity between the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and deepening the bilateral economic ties will be one of the priorities of the 27-member union this year, according to EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans.
The diplomat said that the signing of the EU-ASEAN comprehensive air transport agreement, the first ever region-to-region aviation agreement in 2022, will provide quite a boost to air connectivity between the 37 countries involved.
The EU wants to invest more in the region, he said, adding that leaders of the union have announced 10 billion EUR (10.88 billion USD) in investment in Southeast Asia in the next couple of years through the “Global Gateway” sustainable investments in the region at a hope to address some of ASEAN's big connectivity needs and build on some of the successes in that respect of our previous cooperation.
He noted that the EU has already signed free trade agreements (FTA) with Singapore and Vietnam. The union will open negotiations for FTAs with other ASEAN countries, while resuming FTA negotiations with Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.