Public Consultation on ASEAN Community Blueprints (2016-2025)

This year marks an important milestone for ASEAN as we head towards the establishment of the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.  ASEAN recognises that Community-building is an ongoing process, and has been working on the development of a comprehensive roadmap for its future beyond 2015.  ASEAN has established a High Level Task Force to develop the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the three ASEAN Community Blueprints to be adopted at the 27th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November 2015.  

The Three Community Blueprints

2              The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) are the respective focal points for Singapore for the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council.  MFA also serves as the ASEAN National Secretariat of Singapore.  In line with the Government’s approach to consult stakeholders on issues of public interest, we would like to invite your views on the new APSC, AEC and ASCC Blueprints, as part of our collective endeavour to develop a politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible and people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN.

3              The APSC aims to ensure that countries in the region live at peace with one another, and with the world in a just and rules-based environment.  MFA works with our security and legal agencies, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law on matters pertaining to the APSC such as shaping and sharing of ASEAN norms and principles, conflict prevention and resolution, and post-conflict peace building initiatives.  The current APSC Blueprint (http://www.asean.org/archive/5187-18.pdf) provides a roadmap and timeline for the establishment of the APSC in 2015.  The next APSC Blueprint (2016-2025) is expected to continue to build on our current achievements, and strengthen ASEAN’s capability to address new and emerging challenges in a rapidly evolving global environment.  

4              The AEC aims to establish ASEAN as a region where there is a free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labour, and freer flow of capital.  MTI works with a wide range of Ministries and agencies on matters pertaining to the elimination of tariffs and non-tariff barriers, trade facilitation, customs integration, services and investment liberalisation, food, agriculture and forestry, competition policy, consumer protection, intellectual property rights, infrastructure development, taxation, e-commerce and SME development, among others.  The current AEC Blueprint (https://asean.org/asean-economic-community-blueprint-2025/) serves as a coherent master plan of the commitments ASEAN Member States have made to further ASEAN’s economic development and integration towards the region’s goal for a single market and production base.  The next AEC Blueprint (2016-2025) is expected to improve on the current work, and deepen ASEAN economic integration.  

5              The scope of the ASCC covers the environment, disaster management, education, information, culture, health, sports, youth, women, children, manpower, rural development, poverty eradication, social welfare and civil service training. As such, MSF works with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Manpower, and Public Service Division on matters pertaining to the ASCC.  The current ASCC Blueprint (www.asean.org/archive/5187-19.pdf) represents the human dimension of ASEAN cooperation, and upholds ASEAN’s commitment to address the region’s aspiration to enhance the quality of life of its peoples.  The next ASCC Blueprint (2016-2025) is expected to continue to build an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community that is inclusive, sustainable, resilient, dynamic, and engages and benefits its peoples. 

Your Input for the ASEAN Community Blueprints (2016-2025)

6        What do you think ASEAN should strive for, in terms of realistic and achievable goals, by 2025 in the following areas:

ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)

• ASEAN norms and principles

• ASEAN awareness and identity

• Human rights and fundamental freedoms

• Good governance and anti-corruption

• Rule of law

• Legal and judicial systems

• Counter-terrorism

• Transnational crime

• Drug-trafficking and drug abuse

• Trafficking in persons and people smuggling

• Defence

• Humanitarian aid and disaster relief

• Nuclear safety

• Maritime security

ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)

• Trade in Goods, Services and Investment

• Movement of Skilled Labour and Business Visitors

• Standards and Conformance

• Participation in Global Value Chains

• Competition Policy

• Consumer Protection

• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cooperation

• Research and Development and Technology Commercialisation

• Taxation

• Good Governance and Regulatory Practice

• Sustainable Economic Development

• Global Megatrends

• Economic Connectivity in areas like Transport, Telecommunication and Information Technology, E-Commerce and Energy

• Role of SMEs

• Role of the Private Sector

• Public-Private Partnership 

• Narrowing the Development Gaps

• Financial Inclusion

• Economic Engagement with Regional and Global Partners

ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC)

• Environment

• Disaster Management

• Information

• Culture

• Arts

• Education

• Health

• Sports

• Youth

• Children

• Women

• Vulnerable Groups

• Rural Development

• Poverty Eradication

• Manpower

• Civil Service Matters

7        Your views are important to us.  The output from this consultation exercise would help us to further refine the Blueprints, in accordance with the aspirations and vision of Singaporeans.  The Blueprints would eventually be decided in consultation with the rest of the ASEAN Member States, taking into consideration the different circumstances and systems in the ten countries.

8        This public consultation exercise will be open from 0800 hours on 6 July 2015 to 1800 hours on 16 July 2015.  Please click on http://www.mfa.gov.sg/ and (MSF link) to provide your views on the APSC Blueprint (2016 – 2025) and ASCC Blueprint (2016 – 2025).

9        If you have suggestions for the AEC Blueprint (2016 – 2025), you may submit your responses either electronically, or via mail.

Via email (to any of the following):

Ms Janice Cai (Janice_Cai@mti.gov.sg)

Ms Teresa Yeo (Teresa_Rebecca_Yeo@mti.gov.sg)

 

Via mail

Ms Janice Cai

c/o ASEAN Division

Ministry of Trade and Industry

100 High Street #09-01, The Treasury, Singapore 179434

10       When providing your responses, please also include your name, contact number and e-mail address, so that we may contact you in the event we have any follow-up questions.

11            Please submit your inputs by 6:00pm, Thursday, 16 July 2015. We look forward to hearing from you!