Executives from more than 20 European companies, speaking during a three-day visit to Brussels, stressed the need for sustained high-level engagement with ASEAN to match the bloc’s growing strategic importance.

Key priorities highlighted included progress on EU trade agreements with ASEAN countries, along with practical cooperation in digital trade, green finance, energy transition, transport, and sustainability. Business leaders argued that stronger EU engagement is vital as rivals like China, Japan, and India expand their influence in Southeast Asia.

EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) Chairman Jens Ruebbert said: “The EU is one of ASEAN’s largest investors, yet it often lags behind other partners whose leaders maintain a strong presence. If the EU wants a permanent seat at the table, its leaders must show up.”

Executives also urged momentum on a region-to-region EU-ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA), citing the upcoming 50th anniversary as an ideal moment to launch negotiations. EU-ABC Executive Director Chris Humphrey added: “Starting FTA talks next year would be a milestone for EU-ASEAN relations.”

Meanwhile, the council called for the swift signing of the EU-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and speedy FTA conclusions with the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Beyond trade, business leaders emphasized practical cooperation, including investments in ASEAN’s Power Grid, sustainable transition projects, and development initiatives supported by the European Investment Bank, Global Gateway programs, and EU capacity-building efforts.

During their visit, EU-ABC members met with Commissioners Dan Jørgensen and Olivér Várhelyi; cabinet members of EVP Stéphane Séjourné, Commissioners Wopke Hoekstra and Jessika Roswall; officials from multiple DGs including TRADE, ENER, and INTPA; European External Action Service Asia Director Erik Kurzweil; advisors to European Council President António Costa; and MEP Wouter Beke.

Ruebbert concluded: “Brussels shows strong interest in ASEAN. The challenge is turning that interest into sustained engagement and practical cooperation that benefits both regions.”

The event, aimed at finding “actionable solutions” to climate-related issues, emphasized the urgent need for policy recommendations to address climate-induced displacement, IOM said in a news release.

High-level participants included representatives from the COP29 Presidency, IOM, Italy, Egypt, the Green Climate Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank Group, and the UN Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

With climate change driving displacement and migration worldwide, the roundtable focused on key issues at the intersection of climate and peace, such as water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation. The discussions aimed to catalyze practical solutions and inform COP29 negotiations on these critical topics.

“The convergence of climate change and conflict is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable people on our planet,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We need to act now to address the root causes of climate-induced displacement and build resilience in affected communities.”

Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Adviser to the COP29 Presidency said the forthcoming COP29 Peace, Relief, and Recovery Day in Baku is expected to deliver “concrete outcomes” that will scale up support for countries facing the dual pressures of climate extremes and conflict.

Iskandarov stressed the importance of international collaboration. “The high-level roundtable is a crucial platform for governments, UN agencies, and stakeholders to develop tangible solutions to the complex challenges posed by the intersection of climate, peace, and human mobility,” he said.

The roundtable was expected to yield concrete policy recommendations to inform COP29 discussions and support the launch of the Centre of Excellence on Climate Action for Peace. This new initiative will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and collaboration, focusing on addressing climate-induced displacement and related challenges such as water scarcity and food insecurity.

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024, and will focus on accelerating climate action in line with the Paris Agreement commitments.