The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
Priority Areas of Cooperation
In line with the ASEAN IPR Action Plan 2026–2030 (AIPRAP 2030), ASEAN’s priority areas will focus on strengthening national IP regimes and modernising laws and processes to keep pace with technological change. Regional efforts will advance harmonisation of IP framew
Overview
Intellectual Property in ASEAN has increasingly become an area of growing importance, as an enabler of trade, a force in innovation and a tool towards the growth of ASEAN MSMEs. Appropriate management of Intellectual Property can help increase revenue streams of businesses and enhance share
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Overview
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees To promote the exchange of Priority Areas of Cooperation Overview consumer-protectiontransparent600#0060a9 Overview
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees In 2025, the ASEAN Competition Action Plan 2026-2030 (ACAP 2030) was developed to guide the work of the AEGC towards achieving a competitive, innovative, and dynamic ASEAN with an effective and progressive competition policy. The ACAP 2030 continues the success of its predecessor, ACAP 2016 – 2025 Overview
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees
The ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) was established in 2007 by the ASEAN Economic Ministers in 2007 and is comprised of representatives of consumer protection agencies of AMS. Some of the main task of the ACCP are as follows:
Priority Areas of Cooperation
The following highlights the main activities under each strategic goals of the ACAP 2025:
Under Strategic Goal 1 of the ASAPCP 2025, it is recognized that an effective consumer protection regime in ASEAN could begin by adopting and implementing a set of high-level princ
Overview
Enhanced regional cooperation is set to safeguard the well-being and interests of over 600 million consumers in ASEAN through education, mobilisation and representation. As the region continues to grow with increased globalisation, cross border purchasing, changes in consumer demographics a
Consumer Protection
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees
In 2007, the ASEAN Economic Ministers endorsed the establishment of the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) as the official ASEAN body, comprising of representatives from the competition authorities and agencies responsible for competition policy and law matter
Priority Areas of Cooperation
Overview
Competition policy helps to promote and protect the competitive process and provides a level playing field for all enterprises. Fair and effective competition contributes to improvements in economic efficiency, economic growth and development, as well as consumer welfare.
Broadly sp
