Background

Signed Charter December 15, 2008

Regional intergovernmental organization comprising of 10 countries in Southeast Asia
Focused on
Economic, political, security, military, and sociocultural integration

European Union’s Approach to Strategic Partnership

1986-1992: Single European Market
1994: New Asia Strategy

Goals of Strategic Partnership

1. Remedying tensions in Southeast Asia
2. COVID-19 relief
3. Economic cooperation
4. Climate change response
5. Sustainable development and connectivity
6. Maritime cooperation
7. Cybersecurity

Challenges of Strategic Partnership

As of now the EU doesn’t have a strategic partnership with ASEAN, rather individual EU
member states have bilateral relations with any number of states consisting of ASEAN.

The NEAR project addresses exactly the strategic partnership between the EU (and
not its member states) and its Asian partners

The EU is developing its security role in the Asian-Pacific

Though the EU wants to expand on its presence, a dependable relationship between ASEAN and
the EU is only possible by economic support and cooperation. EU institutional leaders are aware
that Europe needs to go beyond just being a trade actor in the region, but the challenge is what
else to do.  

References

Allison-Reumann, Laura, and Philomena Murray. “What Does the ASEAN-EU Strategic
Partnership Mean?” – The Diplomat, For The Diplomat, 30 Jan. 2021,
thediplomat.com/2021/01/what-does-the-asean-eu-strategic-partnership-mean/.

Blue Book 2020, EU-ASEAN Natural Partners

https://euinasean.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/EU-ASEAN-Blue-Book-2020-
eDocument.pdf

European External Action Service (2016) “Shared vision, common action: a stronger Europe. A
global strategy for the European Union’s foreign and security policy”, Brussels

Park, Sunghoon. “EU's Strategic Partnership with Asian Countries: an Introductory Article for
the Special Issue.” Asia Europe Journal, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 8 July 2019,
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10308-019-00552-4#Sec2.

Press Team , EEAS. “Myanmar: High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell Speaks to

Brunei Darussalam Foreign Minister Dato Erywan Yusof as ASEAN Chair.” EEAS,
eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en/93246/Myanmar:%20High
%20Representative/Vice-President%20Josep%20Borrell%20speaks%20to%20Brunei
%20Darussalam%20Foreign%20Minister%20Dato%20Erywan%20Yusof%20as
%20ASEAN%20Chair.

The State of Southeast Asia 2021, Survey Report,

https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-State-of-SEA-2021-v2.pdf