Studien- und Informationsprogramm
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ASEAN Charter Delegation
For almost 40 years the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has preferred to manage affairs with a minimum of formality, voluntary agreements and relatively weak regional institutions. Concentrating on economical issues, this so-called ASEAN-Way has been an advantageous strategy to encourage regional stability and keep its heterogeneous members.
However the world has become far different during the past decades and the ASEAN faces new basic parameters in the international framework. Proceeding globalization and rising economies like India or China in close proximity challenge the regional grouping at large. Joint solutions are required by a growing number of trans-boundary issues in areas like environment, health or international terrorism.
In recognition of these changes the member countries decided to meet the challenge and progress in integration. On the 11th ASEAN Summit in December 2005 the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of an ASEAN Charter was signed and an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) established to prepare/draft the document. The Charter is supposed to be a kind of constitution aimed at setting “fundamental principles, goals, objectives and structures of ASEAN cooperation”. It would not only provide the much needed legal framework and promote integration but also set common standards of political behaviour like democracy, human rights and good governance. In the light of the political reality in some of the ASEAN countries anything but an easy task for the EPG and its advisors.
Both, ASEAN and the European Union proved to be effective but different examples for successful regionalism. While the grouping of Asian countries so-far is a rather loose association of nations the European Union is already an established Community with close cooperation and supranational institutions based on a binding legal foundation.
With the ASEAN Charter to be drafted, the European Union now receives increasing attention from the ASEAN as model for successful state cooperation. Notwithstanding its failure, special regard is paid to the elaboration of the European Constitution. Among long-time partners like the ASEAN and the EU sharing experiences it is a matter of course and the Europeans seem to be ready to do so.
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is the first European partner which directly accompanies the the process of elaboration of the ASEAN Charter. Against this background it organizes a Dialogue Program in Brussels for a high Level Delegation from Asian Think Tanks assisting and informing the EPG on their mission to examine the ASEAN Charter. Conversations with experts and politicians involved in the drafting of the European Constitution are projected, further support and expertise shall be provided. To what extent lessons learned during the European story of integration will now serve the ASEAN nations? This will be the crucial question for the dialogs in Brussels and the further proceeding in general