ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) was officially launched on 31 December 2015 as one of the ASEAN Community pillars. The first AEC Blueprint was adopted at the 13^th ASEAN Summit in 2007. This first blueprint set the foundation for the establishment of AEC in 2015.  At the 27^th ASEAN Summit in November 2015, AEC Blueprint 2025 was adopted to guide the development of AEC from 2016 to 2025.

The Blueprint covers the five characteristics of: (1) A Highly Integrated and Cohesive Economy; (2) A Competitive, Innovative, and Dynamic ASEAN; (3) Enhanced Connectivity and Sectoral Cooperation; (4) A Resilient, Inclusive, People-Oriented, and People-Centred ASEAN; and (5) Global ASEAN, which in turn comprises different sectors and strategic measures. Their implementation is operationalised through the sectoral work plans adopted by relevant sectoral bodies.

In 2016,  ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) and the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC) endorsed the AEC 2025 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to ensure a timely and effective implementation of the AEC Blueprint 2025. 

AEC monitoring comes under the purview of the ASEAN Secretariat’s ASEAN Integration Monitoring Directorate (AIMD). Formerly named the Macroeconomic and Finance Surveillance Office (MFSO) and later the ASEAN Integration Monitoring Office (AIMO), the AIMD was regularised as part of the endorsed new structure of the ASEAN secretariat on 1 January 2016. The AIMD is mandated to:

• Spearhead the implementation of regional surveillance and economic integration monitoring in ASEAN;
• Provide high level policy and technical advice and recommendations to support ASEAN economic integration initiatives;
• Shape economic research and policy analysis programmes of ASEAN Secretariat;
• Ensure effective information dissemination, communication and reporting on ASEAN economic integration; and
• Provide in-house capacity development for economic integration monitoring, analysis and research.