Jens Ruebbert, Chairman of the EU-ABC has provided an insightful foreword highlighting that ASEAN remains as one of the few bright spots of economic growth in the world. With strong fundamentals and sustainability goals. EU businesses are optimistic, with many planning expansion. Ongoing and future FTAs are set to deepen EU-ASEAN trade ties. The outlook for investment in ASEAN remains highly positive.

Foreword:
In difficult geopolitical and geoeconomic times, ASEAN remains one of the few bright spots of economic growth in the world. Whatever is happening in terms of trade wars, or actual wars, globally, the fundamentals of ASEAN’s growth story remain the same: strong GDP growth, relatively young tech-savvy populations, rapid movement up the development ladder, high rates of urbanisation, growing middle classes, and a key source of critical raw materials. Combine all of this with the increased desire to ensure sustainable and just economic growth, increasing awareness of the need for green economies, secure energy transition and tackling climate change, there is much to admire about Southeast Asia. And that is before we look at the progress that has been made on regional economic integration, and the further steps forward the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN’s Shared Future promises to bring.
It is a well-known fact that European businesses consistently see ASEAN as a region to invest and expand operations. This has been consistently borne out in the responses to the Council’s annual Business Sentiment Survey. In 2024, more than six out of ten respondents said they see ASEAN as the region of best economic
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opportunity over the next five years. I see no reason why the 2025 Survey will produce any different result. More than eight out of ten respondents said they intend to expand operations over the next five years.
With two bilateral Free Trade Agreements already in place with Singapore and Vietnam, and four more currently under negotiation (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand), the future for trade and investment between Europe and ASEAN is looking very bright. The Council remains confident that the four FTAs being negotiated could be signed before the end of 2026, further enhancing the position of ASEAN as a destination for European businesses to make investments and for trade.
The Governments of ASEAN are consistently demonstrating a desire to focus on FDI and to ensure the right conditions are in place to allow businesses of all types to flourish. Be it in semi-conductors, automotive, pharmaceuticals, energy transition and renewable energy, technology, financial services, or a host of other sectors that our members operate in, the future is bright for them in ASEAN. And it is brighter still for the citizens of Southeast Asia.

Read the full foreword and article here