Special update on 32nd ASEAN Summit

Published on 4 September 2018

Heads of state and government of ASEAN member states convened in Singapore for the 32nd ASEAN Summit on 28 April 2018.

KEY DELIVERABLES

1. ASEAN is committed to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

2. ASEAN leaders agreed to the establishment of an ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) to synergise development efforts, share best practices, and catalyse more opportunities for growth, innovation, capacity-building and sustainable development. To achieve the following goals

  1. ASCN would promote an inclusive approach and take into account city-specific
    needs, potential, local and cultural uniqueness, as well as level of development.
  2. The list of 26 ASCN ‘pilot cities’ has been finalised

ASEAN Economic Community

3. The economic thrusts identified by Singapore for 2018 include:

  1. Promoting innovation and e-commerce
  2. Improving trade facilitation
  3. Deepening services and investment integration
  4. Cultivating a conducive regulatory environment
  5. Progressing ASEAN’s external relations
  6. Acknowledging those external relations which stand out as potential contributors to a stronger ASEAN Economic Community.

4. The ASEAN Joint Declaration on Cruise Tourism was adopted.

5. Intensification of work on trade facilitation:

  1. Live operation of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW): Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are ready to exchange the e-ATIGA Form D beginning 1 January 2018.
  2. The remaining ASEAN Member States to exert efforts to implementing the e-ATIGA Form D and expanding ASW to include other customs and trade-related documents.
  3. ASEAN-wide Self Certification Scheme is targeted to be implemented in 2018.
  4. There is plan to study the feasibility of the implementation of an ASEAN-wide Mutual Recognition Agreement on Authorised Economic Operators.

6. On services:

  1. The Protocol to Implement the 10th Package of Commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) this year.
  2. Significant progress was made in the negotiations for the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA) and scheduled for signing in 2018.
  3. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met on 6 April 2018 in Singapore and continue to push for financial integration by focusing on initiatives to sustain growth, boost resilience, and foster innovation

7. ASEAN recognises the importance of capitalising on the opportunities presented
by the digital age, and the need to promote cross-border electronic commerce (eCommerce) in the region, ASEAN:

  1. is concluding negotiations for an ASEAN Agreement on Electronic Commerce with a possible signing in 2018.
  2. supports the Initiative to develop the ASEAN Digital Integration Framework to monitor the progress of ASEAN’s digital integration.
  3. supports the development of the ASEAN Innovation Network, which aims to
    i) Strengthen linkages between innovation ecosystems to spark new collaborations and
    solutions.
    ii) Address the demand from the increasingly sophisticated and growing consumer base in the region.
  4. is strengthening cross-sectoral coordination in the implementation of the ASEAN Work Programme on Electronic Commerce 2017- 2025.

8. ASEAN supports the efforts made by both Indonesia and Malaysia to address the issue of palm oil sustainability.

Initiative for ASEAN Integration

9. Progress has been made in the implementation of the IAI Work Plan III to assist CLMV countries in meeting ASEAN-wide targets, as well as narrowing the development gap within ASEAN.

ASEAN Connectivity

10. Efforts to achieve ASEAN Connectivity are being carried out by the:

  1. ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC)
  2. National Coordinators (NCs)
  3. National Focal Points (NFPs)
  4. Relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies as well as Dialogue Partners and external parties to implement projects under the 15 Initiatives of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025.

11. The Lead Implementing Body for Sustainable Infrastructure was established in March 2018 to spearhead sustainable infrastructure development in the region, with the effort to:

  1. establish an initial list of potential priority infrastructure projects
  2. conduct a study to advance sustainable urbanisation in ASEAN which is aimed at increasing the deployment of smart urbanisation models across ASEAN, complementing the ASCN, and developing the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy
  3. review how micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises are responding to challenges posed by the digital economy.

ASEAN External Relations

12. ASEAN is strengthening the East Asia Summit by implementing the Manila Plan of Action to advance the Phnom Penh Declaration on the EAS Development Initiative (2018-2022).

13. The grouping aims to keep the momentum towards improving ASEAN+1 FTAs and deepening ASEAN engagement with other trading partners.

14. ASEAN aims for a swift conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations by resolving outstanding issues.

15. ASEAN aims for the early implementation of the ASEAN Hong Kong, China (HKC) Free Trade and Investment Agreements which were signed in November 2017.

16. ASEAN Secretariat is carrying out a study on ASEAN’s readiness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.