Overview
The private sector is a key stakeholder in ASEAN’s economic integration and has been an integral part of ASEAN strategies since the AEC Blueprint 2025, which emphasised the importance of structured Public-Private sector engagement (PPE) in shaping an inclusive, competitive, and resilient ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). As a major driver of trade, investment, and employment, businesses play a critical role in ensuring that ASEAN’s economic initiatives remain practical, future-ready, and responsive to market needs. Effective PPE allows industry to better understand ASEAN’s economic priorities, while providing valuable feedback that strengthens trade and investment facilitation and informs the design of impactful regional strategies.
ASEAN engages the business community through mechanisms such as sector-specific public-private consultative platforms, consultation at the Ministerial-level, as well as through mechanisms such as ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and the Joint Business Councils. Through these channels, the private sector contributes to key priorities, including supply chain resilience, digital economy integration, sustainable and green growth, MSME development, and standards harmonisation, among others. As ASEAN embarks on the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, while advancing long-term goals under the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, meaningful private sector participation remains crucial to building a competitive, innovative, and inclusive regional economy.
Priority Areas of Cooperation to Enhance PPE
The AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030 calls for efforts to engage the business sector and community-based organisations more effectively, to build an Inclusive, Participatory, and Collaborative Community.
It is important for the private sector to understand the various avenues that are available for their engagement with ASEAN. The ASEAN Secretariat has developed initiatives to enable and strengthen private sector engagement by following the framework of “Inform-Consult-Involve.”
Area 1: Easier access to information for the private sector
Access to information on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is crucial to enhance public-private sector engagement. The ASEAN Secretariat aims to improve access to information to ensure private sector remains well-informed about ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and can participate more effectively in regional economic integration.
Area 2: Enhancing consultation with the private sector
To ensure that the engagement between the public and private sector can be conducted in a transparent and effective manner, ASEAN aims to enhance consultation mechanisms through clearer procedures and structured platforms that allow private sector feedback to be consolidated and channelled to relevant ASEAN bodies. ASEAN also organises fora and workshops that bring together businesses, government officials, and policymakers to discuss key challenges in AEC’s initiatives, welcome feedback, as well as identify potential solutions.
Private sector entities interested in engaging with AEC Sectoral Bodies may refer to the relevant Rules of Procedure for Private Sector Engagement under the ASEAN Economic Community, guidance on participation and submission of inputs.
Area 3: Strengthening the involvement of the private sector through public-private sector projects
Developing public-private initiatives (project collaborations) is also crucial in strengthening public-private sector engagement. One example of this is the ASEAN-BAC Legacy Projects, which advance region-wide priorities and demonstrate long-term private sector commitment to ASEAN’s economic integration, as well as other private sector collaboration. In accordance with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026–2030, private sector involvement in the implementation of the Strategic Plan has also been incorporated through the participation of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) as a key supporting body.
ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC)
ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) As the APEX private sector body of ASEAN, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) serves as the principal platform for business leaders across the region to engage with policymakers. Established in April 2003 with a mandate to provide private sector feedback and guidance in support of ASEAN’s economic integration, ASEAN-BAC reviews and identifies key issues for consideration by ASEAN Leaders and offers recommendations on the implementation of ASEAN economic cooperation. To ensure broad-based representation of business perspectives, ASEAN-BAC also coordinates inputs from national Chambers of Commerce and Industry, ASEAN+1 Business Councils, and other private sector entities, thereby strengthening the role of the business community in advancing a more competitive and integrated ASEAN economy. In addition, ASEAN-BAC serves as a supporting organisation in the implementation of the AEC Strategic Plan 2026–2030, helping to ensure that private sector insights are incorporated into ASEAN’s economic priorities and deliverables. Learn more about the ASEAN-BAC in this link
Key Documents
Guidelines
Press Release
Related Links
- Infographics on Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (MRA-TP)
- ASEAN Regional Principles on Good Business Registration Practices
- Rules of Procedures for Private Sector Engagement
- AEC Information Pack for Businesses
- Starting a Business in ASEAN
- Business Councils
- ASEAN Solutions for Investments, Services and Trade
- ASEAN Tariff Finder
- ASEAN SME Service Centre
ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin
Access to information on developments in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is crucial for enhancing public-private sector engagement. For this, the ASEAN Secretariat has developed a bimonthly bulletin called “ASEAN for Business” which aims to provide the private sector with key information on various initiatives under AEC as well as the profile and key focus areas of some ASEAN sectoral bodies.
The bulletins can be downloaded through the link below:
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – December
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – November
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – October
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – September
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – August
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – March
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – February
- ASEAN Business Monthly Bulletin – January
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – December
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – Special Edition
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – October
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – September
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – August
- ASEAN Business Bimonthly Bulletin – July
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – June
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – May
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – April
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – March
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – February
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – January
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Buletin – December
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – November
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – October
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – September
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – August
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – July
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – June
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – April
- ASEAN for Business Bimonthly Bulletin – February
