• Retail in ASEAN quickly moving towards an omni-channel structure and sustainable growth for the sector in the region is dependent on strategies that market new products & services. Retail innovation is not only important but has become an imperative for all the players in the sector who want to remain competitive. This report covers the four barriers that are limiting this growth and innovation in retail within ASEAN and, steps that need to be done in the short and long term to overcome them.

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• Policy-led financial integration is likely to make slow progress, even between the more financially developed ASEAN members. Industry-led initiatives on the other hand could potentially accelerate financial sectors and capital markets of ASEAN nations towards an integrated regional market. This report explored 3 such initiatives.

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• The limited private sector participation in formulating the integration strategy of the ASEAN tourism sector shows the weakness of the tourism private sector to organise itself to deal with regional issues, as well as the fact that the public sector views industry participants as mere actors in the tourism sector and not the key drivers of its development. Strengthening the private sector‘s capacity to organise itself to make a clear stance against key barriers hindering the sector‘s growth as well as the full participation of the private sector in the formulation and implementation of integration strategy is therefore crucial to reap the full benefits of tourism integration.

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• The ambitious ASEAN vision for an integrated healthcare sector has faced obstacles as the ASEAN members are at different development stages, have separate languages and tax structures, and follow different standards and qualifications. ASEAN should focus on health tourism, ASEAN-wide insurance, and talent mobility, which would enable more exchange, increase market coverage, and increase the efficiency of talent distribution.

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• The private sector needs to take a larger role in infrastructure development as there is a huge infrastructure gap in ASEAN that cannot be funded by the governments or MDBs. In order for the private sector to channel funds into infrastructure, ASEAN governments need to ensure capable leadership, a good regulatory framework, and fair risk sharing.

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• To ensure a truly single aviation market in ASEAN, the post-2015 ASEAN Single Aviation Market (ASAM) agenda must pursue greater investments in infrastructure and human capital to keep up with the additional planes entering the ASEAN market and technical/regulatory integration must take place in the subsequent phase of ASAM to complement economic liberalisation.

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• To examine at the current global and ASEAN tax landscapes, as well as explore the potential of reducing tax complexity and having an AEC tax agenda.

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• To explore the key challenges to ASEAN integration in financial services and capital markets and to provide some suggestions as to what ASEAN should do in light of these challenges. The report also looks at what ASEAN can learn from the EU experience of integration.

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• To provide a structured understanding of the main barriers to e-commerce whilst providing guidance on the way forward. The report specifically shares an overview of the retail e-commerce across the ASEAN-6 ¹ and suggests how each barrier can be lifted to unlock the full potential of retail e-commerce in the region.

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• Significant challenges remain in the food and beverage sector, as different national rules and regulations between ASEAN members create technical barriers to trade (TBTs), which are a major impediment for the expansion of regional and global food trade

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• ASEAN should create a strong sustainable industrial ecosystem for the region’s extractive industry

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• ASEAN should focus in low hanging fruits in legal harmonisation

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• Non tariff barriers (NTBs) hindering ASEAN automotive integration

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• Healthcare developmental and funding gaps are the main barriers to deeper integration.

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• Management of mobile services the key to better ASEAN telecommunication integration.

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• ASEAN should clear regulatory framework, improve project preparations, and secure long-term financing.

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• Protectionism is the main barrier for ‘ASEAN open skies’

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• Creating a pan-ASEAN banking pass, allowing free talent mobility, and building a common ASEAN financial infrastructure to reap the benefits of financial integration and the AEC

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• Clarifying benefits, increasing transparency and fixing the easy things first to pave the way for better ASEAN Capital Market Integration

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• Region wide free trade of the Asia-Pacific may yield US$210 billion annual gains for ASEAN, and US$1,922 billion worldwide

• Fall in stock prices could have direct link with currency depreciation in ASEAN 5

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• Monetary Union might not be necessary for ASEAN but monetary cooperation brings substantial gains

• Opening power trade in ASEAN would encourage the development of renewable energy generation and save cost

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• Banks with strong market power are less likely to diversify into non-interest income

• The ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) proves beneficial to intra-ASEAN FDI but possibly crowds out local entrepreneurship

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• Research shows full implementation of the AEC potentially increases ASEAN income by 5%

• None of the objectives of the ASEAN Tourism Agreement have been fully met

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