Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
This section provided answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about ASEM cooperation and the ASEM 6 Summit. Information on ASEM is also available on ASEM InfoBoard.
What is ASEM?
ASEM, the Asia-Europe Meeting, is a forum that promotes various levels of cooperation among Asian and European countries. The ASEM process is based on dialogue with the objective of strengthening mutual understanding between the two regions and promoting concrete cooperation that aims at sustainable economic and social development. The cooperation covers three sectors referred to as a political pillar, an economic pillar and a cultural pillar.
ASEM was initiated in 1996 to strengthen dialogue and interaction between Asia and Europe. The inaugural ASEM Summit was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1996 and since then the meeting of Heads of State or Government has been organised every two years alternately in Asia and Europe.
The participants in the first ASEM Summit included representatives of the European Commission, the then EU Member States, the seven members of ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN) plus China, Japan and Republic of Korea. The number of participating countries increased in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2004, as the countries that had acceded in the EU over the Union’s latest enlargement round and the countries that had become members of ASEAN in 1997 and 1999, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, joined the process. Just before the Helsinki Summit, the number of participating countries is 39.
Who participates in ASEM?
ASEM participants before the Helsinki Summit are Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
What is the ASEM process?
The ASEM process covers various levels of cooperation involving Asian and European countries. The process is based on dialogue with the objective of strengthening mutual understanding between the two regions and promoting concrete cooperation that aims at sustainable economic and social development. The priorities, objectives and principles of the ASEM process have been laid down in the Asia-Europe Cooperation Framework 2000 (AECF 2000).
What influence does ASEM have?
The purpose of ASEM cooperation is to promote dialogue between Asian and European countries. In addition to official level cooperation, the process aims to increase dialogue among economic actors, NGOs and individual citizens.
Programmes promoting intellectual and cultural interaction are conducted under the cultural pillar. In practice, this means, for example, increased opportunities for students, researchers and artists to participate in various exchange programmes and other forms of contact.
What does ASEM do?
ASEM offers leaders of the partner countries a forum for exchange of views and mutual cooperation. ASEM cooperation was initiated to strengthen dialogue between Asian and European countries and to provide means to better meet the challenges of a globalising world, including ways to prevent terrorism and enhance cooperation in environmental and economic matters. In addition to political dialogue, sustainable economic and social development is promoted through concrete initiatives. The number of ASEM projects, some completed, some still underway, exceeds 100. In June 2006, Helsinki will host a seminar on energy and climate issues and, in July, Cyprus will organise an event, entitled "Interfaith dialogue", to promote understanding among different religions and cultures.
Who directs ASEM cooperation?
ASEM coordinators play a key role in the cooperation. There are four coordinators, two from Asia and two from Europe. One of the Asian coordinators represents the ASEAN countries and the other Asian non-ASEAN countries. Until the Helsinki Summit the Asian coordinators are going to be Indonesia and Republic of Korea. In Europe, the coordination task is divided between the European Commission and the country holding the rotating EU Presidency. The country hosting the ASEM Summit or the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is also central to the furtherance of the ASEM process. Finland will host the ASEM 6 Summit in September 2006.
How is the ASEM process financed?
ASEM does not charge a participation fee. As a rule, the ASEM host country is responsible for conference expenses whilst the participating countries cover their own travel and accommodation costs. Expenses relating to initiatives under the ASEM framework are shared among the initiators and their possible cooperation partners.
The functioning of the Asia-Europe Foundation, ASEF, that constitutes the core of the ASEM cultural pillar, relies on voluntary financing by the member states. In general, an ASEF programme receives half of its finance from the foundation whilst the host country, with its partners, covers the remaining half of the expenses.
When and where did the previous ASEM summits take place?
The previous ASEM summits were as follows:
- 2004 ASEM 5, Hanoi, Vietnam
- 2002 ASEM 4, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2000 ASEM 3, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 1998 ASEM 2, London, the United Kingdom
- 1996 ASEM 1, Bangkok, Thailand
The summit, that will take place during Finland’s Presidency of the EU, will be the sixth, ASEM 6. ASEM 6 will take place in Helsinki on 10 and 11 September 2006. Thereafter, the next meeting of the Heads of State or Government will be organised in 2008, in Beijing, China.
Why is Finland hosting the ASEM 6 Summit?
The ASEM Summit is organised every two years, alternately in Asia and Europe. In Europe, the summit is always organised by the country holding the rotating EU Presidency. Finland will hold the Presidency of the European Union between 1 July and 31 December 2006. The ASEM Summit to be organised during Finland’s EU Presidency will take place in Helsinki on 10 and 11 September 2006. The previous ASEM Summit was held in 2004, in Hanoi, Vietnam.
How many people will be in Finland for the ASEM 6 Summit?
A total of 2,000 delegates are expected to participate in the ASEM Summit. The delegates include Heads of State or Government, and ministers and advisers. In addition, some 1,000 mainly foreign media representatives will come to cover the meeting. In addition to delegates and media representatives, a large number of people attending other events parallel to ASEM 6 will be in Helsinki.
What is the budget for the ASEM 6 Summit?
The ASEM 6 Summit will be the largest ever meeting at the level of Heads of State or Government hosted by Finland. The total budget of the ASEM 6 Summit, including security arrangements, is approximately €13 million.
Who has responsibility for the preparation of the ASEM 6 Summit?
As the host country, Finland is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and for drafting meeting conclusions of the ASEM 6 Summit together with all the ASEM partners.
The preparations are led by the Prime Minister of Finland who will also chair the meeting. The ASEM 6 Secretariat, located at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, is responsible for the coordination of the meeting agenda. Discussion on the priorities of the ASEM 6 Summit began in spring 2005.
At national level, the ASEM 6 Secretariat has prepared the meeting agenda in collaboration with relevant government ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office. The Secretariat for the Finland's EU Presidency, working under the Prime Minister’s Office, is responsible for the practical arrangements of the summit.
The broad political, economical and socio-cultural themes of the ASEM 6 Summit have been set at the previous Summits and ministerial meetings.
Key priorities of the Helsinki Summit include
- Support for the multilateral international system
- Addressing security threats (including global health threats such as avian flu)
- Questions related to energy security and climate change
- Support for a conclusion of the negotiations on the WTO/DDA
- Questions relating to globalisation, competitiveness and structural changes in the global economy
Will the 10th anniversary of the ASEM process be reflected in the Summit agenda?
At the Hanoi Summit in 2004, the ASEM Heads of State or Government authorised Senior Officials and Foreign Ministers to examine ways to improve the efficiency of ASEM cooperation and review issues relating to the possible enlargement of ASEM. To provide concrete support for the initiative, Finland and Japan commissioned a joint research process.
The research report was presented to senior officials in Vienna in March 2006. The main focus was on the past ten years of the ASEM process and the project outcome provided material for the next ASEM Summit in Helsinki.
The network of European research at the University of Helsinki was responsible for carrying out the project in Finland. Its partner in Asia was The Japan Center for International Exchange. The results of the project were submitted to the Senior Officials’ Meeting in Vienna in March 2006.
Why does Burma/Myanmar participate in the ASEM 6 Summit?
Myanmar is one of the 39 ASEM partners. It was accepted as a participant in the process in 2004 at the ASEM 5 Summit in Hanoi, together with all the new member states of the European Union and ASEAN.
The EU remains highly critical of Myanmar’s record on human rights and democracy. The EU has adopted a Common Position on Burma/Myanmar, which includes sanctions such as a visa ban for members of the military regime. The EU also gives high importance to constructive and critical dialogue with the Myanmar government. The Common Position therefore further stipulates that visas can be granted for members of the Myanmar government for intergovernmental meetings in Europe, "where a political dialogue is conducted that directly promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Burma/Myanmar".
A representative of Myanmar's government will participate in the ASEM 6 Summit. The situation in Myanmar will be raised during the Summit.
When will new partners join ASEM?
Both the 2004 Summit in Hanoi and the Foreign Ministers Meeting in Kyoto in 2005 gave the ASEM 6 Summit the task of taking decisions regarding the enlargement of ASEM.
According to the Asia-Europe Cooperation Framework, "a final decision on new participants will be made by consensus among all partners only after a candidate has first got the support of its partners within its region." For the EU it is important to ensure that the acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania can join the ASEM process, as soon as they join the EU. New participants from Asia will have to be presented by the Asian side.
It is expected that the ASEM 6 Summit will take a decision on ASEM's next enlargement by inviting new partners from both Europe and Asia to join the process.
What is the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF)?
The ASEM Summits are paralleled by an Asia-Europe People's Forum (AEPF) which is a discussion forum for the representatives of Asian and European NGOs. The Forum examines relations between the two continents and opens discussion on problems and opportunities common to their citizens.
The Asia-Europe People’s Forum is organised every two years in connection with the ASEM Summit. The Finnish Service Centre for Development Cooperation (KEPA) will organise the Asia-Europe People’s Forum together with Finnish and international NGOs and the meeting will take place in Helsinki from 3 to 6 September.
What is the Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF)?
The ASEM Summits are paralleled by an Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF).
The Forum brings together business leaders to discuss ways to promote trade and investments. The Forum participants also submit recommendations to the governments of Asian and European countries on ways to develop economic cooperation. The Asia-Europe Business Forum is organised every two years in connection with the ASEM Summit. The Asia-Europe Business Forum will be organised by the Confederation of Finnish Industries, (Elinkeinoelämän keskusliitto, EK) and take place in Helsinki on 10 and 11 September 2006.
What is the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)?
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) is the only institutionalised part of the ASEM process. It was established in 1997, a year after the initiation of the ASEM process. The secretariat for the Asia-Europe Foundation is located in Singapore and has all ASEM countries as its members.
ASEF cooperation is conducted under the ASEM cultural pillar. The aim of the foundation is to promote understanding among the Asian and European people through intellectual, cultural and social interaction. In practice, this is achieved through seminars, lectures, student exchange programmes, festivals, exhibitions, art events and publications. So far, ASEF cooperation has generated 300 different projects.
The operation of ASEM is directed by a Board of Governors consisting of the representatives of the ASEM countries and the European Commission. The Asia-Europe Foundation receives voluntary financing from ASEM countries and, in addition, several ASEF projects receive outside financing. Finland has traditionally been among ASEF’s most important benefactors.
