Sectoral Bodies
The works on services integration in ASEAN are overseen by the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM). Following the decision of AEM at an Informal Meeting held on 28 June 1999 in Auckland, New Zealand, ASEAN Finance Ministers (AFMM) and ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) subsequently took the lead in the liberalisation of financial services and air transport services, respectively. Since March 2015, ASEAN Finance Ministers met jointly with the Central Bank Governors, and renamed as ASEAN Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM).
Following the signing of the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on the ASEAN Investment Area on 14 September 2001 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, the works on services incidental to manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, forestry, and mining and quarrying were transferred to the investment track under the purview of ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) Council. This transfer is made in order to ensure coherence its works related to investment in the manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, forestry, and mining and quarrying sectors.
At the working level in implementing the various works under the AFAS, the Coordinating Committee on Services (CCS) was established in January 1996 to implement the agreement. The CCS reports to the AEM through the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM). For financial services, the works are undertaken by the Working Committee on Financial Services Liberalisation (WC-FSL) who reports to the AFMGM through the ASEAN Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting (AFCDM). For air transport services, the works are under taken by the Air Transport Working Group (ATWG), who reports to ATM through the Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM). For the 5 incidental services, the works are undertaken as part of the works under the Coordinating Committee on Investment (CCI) who reports to the AIA Council through SEOM.
Sectoral Working Groups under CCS
Under the CCS there are several Sectoral Working Groups (SWG) who meet back-to-back with the CCS Meetings. The currently active SWG are:
- Business Services Sectoral Working Group (BSSWG)
- Logistics and Transport Services Sectoral Working Group (LTSSWG)
- Healthcare Services Sectoral Working Group (HSSWG)
- Telecommunication and Information Services Sectoral Working Group (TISSWG)
The implementing bodies of the 7 MRAs specified above reports to the CCS through BSSWG and HSSWG respectively. The following charts shows the reporting lines of the implementing bodies of 7 MRAs to the CCS:
- AAC: ASEAN Architect Council
- AAEC: ASEAN Architect Education Committee
- ACPACC: ASEAN Chartered Professional Accountant Coordinating Committee
- ACPECC: ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineering Coordinating Committee
- AJCCN: ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Nursing
- AJCCM: ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Medical Practitioners
- AJCCD: ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Dental Practitioners
- SURVEYING: Surveying Competent Authorities of the Framework Arrangement for the Mutual Recognition of Surveying Qualifications
