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The EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) is the primary voice for European business within the ASEAN region. It is formally recognised by the European Commission and accredited under Annex 2 of the ASEAN Charter as an entity associated with ASEAN.
Independent of both bodies, the Council has been established to help promote the interests of European businesses operating within ASEAN and to advocate for changes in policies and regulations which would help promote trade and investment between Europe and the ASEAN region. As such, the Council works on a sectorial and cross-industry basis to help improve the investment and trading conditions for European businesses in the ASEAN region through influencing policy and decision makers throughout the region and in the EU, as well as acting as a platform for the exchange of information and ideas amongst its members and regional players within the ASEAN region.
The EU-ASEAN Business Council is registered as a Society with the Registrar of Societies in Singapore. It is governed via a formal written Constitution, approved by its Members and lodged with the Registrar of Societies the latest version of the Constitution can be found below
The Constitution sets out, amongst other things, the role of the Business Council, its membership and its governing elements. The general management and operation of the Business Council is arranged and managed by the General Assembly, also known as its Annual General Meeting; the Supervisory Board; the Executive Board; and the Secretariat of the Business Council. The day-to-day administration of the Business Council is entrusted to the Executive Board, and executed by the Secretariat.
The supreme authority of the Business Council is vested in the General Assembly. The General Assembly, which consists of all of the Members of the Business Council, both MNC Members and the European Chambers from Southeast Asia, meets once a year and has the responsibility to: elect the Chairman and appoint the members of the Executive Board; approve the annual report and annual accounts; appoint auditors and be informed of the budget. It also has the ability, subject to a qualified majority voting mechanism, to amend the Constitution.
The overarching objective of the EU-ABC is to promote changes in policies, rules and regulations so that European businesses can more easily invest and develop their businesses in the region to the benefit of the local economies and populations as well as their own shareholders.
The EU-ABC conducts its activities through a series of advocacy groups focused on particular industry sectors and cross-industry issues, as well direct interaction with Ministers and policy makers across the ASEAN region. Our Advocacy Groups, usually chaired by a multi-national corporation, draw on the views of the entire membership of the EU-ABC as well as the relevant committees from our European Chamber of Commerce membership, allowing the EU-ABC to reflect the views and concerns of European business in general. Groups cover, amongst other areas, Insurance, Mobility, Agri-Food & FMCG, IPR & Illicit Trade, Customs & Trade Facilitation, Sustainability, and Healthcare. This approach ensures a broad-based approach to raising and handling issues that face industries and inhibit the ability of businesses to trade and invest.