The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) furthers understanding, fosters relationships and facilitates cooperation among the people and institutions of Asia and Europe. ASEF enhances dialogue, enables exchanges and encourages collaboration across the fields of governance, economy, sustainable development, public health, culture, and education.

Founded in 1997, ASEF is a non-profit, intergovernmental organisation located in Singapore. It is the only permanently established institution of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Together with about 700 partner organisations ASEF has run more than 600 projects, mainly conferences, seminars and workshops. Over 17,000 Asians and Europeans have participated in its activities and it has reached wider audiences through networks and web-portals, exhibitions and lectures.

www.asef.org  

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was initiated in 1996 when the ASEM leaders met in Bangkok, Thailand. ASEM is an informal trans-regional platform for dialogue and cooperation between the two regions and has arisen out of a mutual recognition that the relationship between Asia and Europe needed to be strengthened in light of the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

The ASEM process is based on an equal partnership and its activities are grouped into three pillars: political, economic and socio-cultural. ASEM now brings together 49 member states (Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam) plus the European Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat.

ASEM holds a Summit every two years, alternately in Asia and in Europe. This is the highest level of decision-making in the process. Besides the attendance of the Head of States, the Summit also features accompanying Ministers, the Head of the European Commission and other stakeholders. Apart from the Summit meetings, the ASEM process is carried forward through a series of Ministerial and working-level meetings, as well as a number of activities arising from it.

www.aseminfoboard.org