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ASEAN and the European Union agreed to accelerate the implementation of the ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA), described as the first aviation agreement between the two regional blocs, aiming to boost connectivity and expand economic cooperation.
The agreement was announced at the 25th ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on 28 April in Bandar Seri Begawan. Representatives from ASEAN member states and the 27 EU member states attended the meeting.
The conference was co-chaired by Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Brunei’s second Minister of Foreign Affairs, serving as the ASEAN-EU coordinating country for the 2024-2027 term, and Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Ministers raised concerns about the complex global situation, including conflicts and supply chain disruptions, as well as energy and global trade challenges. Against this backdrop, the two regions emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation, adherence to international law, and maintaining stability to support development.
Building on expanding relations, ASEAN and the EU agreed to strengthen cooperation across the economy, trade, investment, infrastructure, and digital connectivity. The implementation of CATA is expected to increase passenger and goods flows between the two regions and to catalyze cooperation in the digital economy, in line with the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Digital Economy.
The two sides also set long-term goals toward an inter-regional free trade agreement (FTA). They encouraged leveraging existing FTAs between the EU and Vietnam and Singapore.
Cooperation in sustainable development was also highlighted, including climate change response, environmental protection, and the green transition. The agenda further includes education and people-to-people exchanges.
Initiatives such as Global Gateway, SCOPE, and the ASEAN-EU green cooperation program were noted as platforms that will continue to be leveraged to support the region.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations in 2027, ASEAN and the EU agreed to hold a summit in Singapore and study upgrading the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said Vietnam and ASEAN value the EU partnership and support expanding comprehensive cooperation between the two regions. He noted that ASEAN and the EU share strategic interests and are “two successful models of regional integration,” adding that increased coordination is meaningful.
Vietnam’s representative also proposed strengthening strategic dialogues, coordinating responses to common challenges, advancing CATA into implementation, and moving toward an inter-regional FTA.
At the conclusion of the meeting, ASEAN and the EU issued a joint statement outlining the content of exchanges and future cooperation directions.
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