Page 12 - EU_ASEN Relations: Perspectives From Malaysia

on a region-to-region FTA, albeit without a targeted time-frame thus far. Both

sides declared that it is important to connect two growing markets and to take
away as many obstacles to trade.

The fact that the member states of both regional organisations are quite
different in terms of economic development and political systems is what

complicates cooperation on political, economic, and socio-cultural issues. The
gap between rich and poor states is bigger in Southeast Asia than in Europe;

and whilst every European country has to be democratic, authoritarian regimes

still tend to dominate in Southeast Asia. Additionally, it is important to note
that ASEAN and the EU have developed different forms of regional

cooperation. In the near future, ASEAN will remain as an intergovernmental
organisation, simply because no member state is willing to transfer any

national sovereignty to the regional level.

For a long time, many EU politicians believed in the European model with its

supranational elements. However, with all the serious problems currently
ongoing within the EU, many European decision-makers and scholars have

developed a better understanding of the ASEAN states and their

intergovernmental model of regional cooperation. This is a positive sign that
the EU─ASEAN relationship will be one that is more equal and respecting in

the future.

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