ASEAN CHARTER

What we know about ASEAN?

On 8 August 1967, five leaders – the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia,

Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – sat down together
in the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in
Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document.
Aims and purposes

cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical,

educational and other fields, and in the promotion of
regional peace and stability through abiding respect for
justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of
the United Nations Charter
 To prevent external powers from exploiting the
power vacuum left after rapid decolonization of the
region.

The founders of ASEAN saw an opportunity to foster

Report motivations for cooperation among countries with common
interests in the same geographic region.
creating the ASEAN
The founders were convinced that the countries of
Southeast Asia would have a stronger voice in
addressing major global powers if they could speak
together.

“Cooperation and ultimately integration serve the

interests of all—something that individual efforts can
never achieve.”
 EU

honoring all who served

 Landscape: Diverse mix of mountains,

GEOGRAPHY plains, coasts, and islands, stretching from

Ireland to Bulgaria, Finland to Malta.
Size: Big (4.4 million sq km), home to 447
million people (3rd most populous globally).
Climate: Varied, ranging from maritime to
continental to Mediterranean.
Economy: Strong, integrated single market
with free movement of goods, services,
people, and capital.
Diversity: Vibrant cities, distinct cultural
regions, and ongoing challenges like
regional inequality and environmental
concerns.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Seeds of Unity:
Post-WWII devastation:
Two world wars scarred
Europe, sparking a yearning
for lasting peace and
economic stability.
Coal and Steel Community:
Robert Schuman's 1950
declaration proposed pooling
these resources, laying the
groundwork for
supranational cooperation.
Building Blocks of
Integration
Treaty of Rome (1957):
Established the European
Economic Community (EEC),
paving the way for the single
market and deeper economic
integration
Cold War Influence: The EU
served as a bulwark against the
spread of communism, receiving
support from the US and its allies.
Evolution and
Expansion:
Gradual Expansion: Over time,
more countries joined the
EEC, leading to the EU we
know today.
Maastricht Treaty (1993):
Marked a significant step
towards political and
economic union, establishing
the European Union as we
know it.
Ongoing Challenges:
Balancing national interests
with European unity: Striking a
balance between member
states' priorities and the EU's
goals remains a complex task.
Evolving global landscape:
Navigating issues like
migration, security threats,
and economic disparities in a
changing world presents
ongoing challenges.
2.1. Purposes of ASEAN
Peace and Stability
To promote peace, security, and stability
in the region.
To respond to all forms of threats,
transnational crimes, and transboundary
challenges.
To maintain ASEAN's centrality in
regional affairs.
Economic Cooperation and Integration
To enhance regional cooperation in all areas, including economics.
To create a single market and production base for Southeast Asia.
To alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap within ASEAN.
 Social and Cultural Development

To strengthen To promote
To develop human
democracy, good sustainable
resources through
governance, and development and
education, science,
human rights. protect the
and technology.
environment.

To promote a
To promote an
people-oriented
ASEAN identity.
ASEAN.
 Well-being and Security
To enhance the well-being of the people of ASEAN.
To build a safe, secure, and drug-free environment.
2.3. Comparing the Purposes of ASEAN
and the EU:
 Peace and Stability: Both ASEAN and the EU prioritize
Similarities: peace, security, and stability in their respective regions.
Economic Integration: Both aim to create a single market and
promote economic cooperation, albeit with different levels of
integration (EU is deeper).
Sustainability and Environment: Both emphasize sustainable
development and environmental protection.
Human Rights: Both advocate for human rights and social
justice, though differences exist in implementation and
interpretations.
Cultural Exchange: Both promote cultural understanding and
diversity within their regions.
Global Role: Both seek to play a constructive role in global
affairs, particularly in promoting peace, trade, and
sustainable development.
Differences: Structure: ASEAN (looser, consensus-driven) vs. EU
(supranational, integrated institutions).
Security: ASEAN (non-traditional threats,
cooperation) vs. EU (developed Common Security
and Defence Policy).
Economics: EU (deep integration, single currency)
vs. ASEAN (individual currencies, shallower
integration).
Social: EU (stronger policy framework, minimum
standards) vs. ASEAN (regional cooperation).
History: EU (post-war focus on peace, unity) vs.
ASEAN (Cold War focus on stability, neutrality).
Additional ASEAN prioritizes "centrality" and development
gap, while the EU emphasizes global projection
and social cohesion.
Points:
EU has a stronger science and technology focus,
while ASEAN prioritizes education and human
resource development.

ASEAN aims for a "people-oriented" and unified

regional identity.
3. Institutional Framework
3.1. European Unions
3.2. Association of Southeast Asian
Nations
Differences:
Level of Integration
The degree of Supranational vs.
Intergovernmental
Institutional Strength and Complexity
External relations
Legal Framework
Similarities:
Supranational & Intergovernmental
elements
Multi-pillar structure
Ministerial and expert bodies
Secretariat and external relations
Focus on regional integration: