The European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held their 33rd Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting on 11 June 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia, reviewing regional developments and reaffirming their commitment to deepen relations based on international law, mutual interest, and equality. The meeting, co-chaired by Ambassador Latifah Zaini, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to ASEAN, and Ms. Leila Fernández Stembridge, Head of the South-East Asia Division of the European External Action Service, together with Mr. Ian Hoskins, Acting Head of Unit for South and South-East Asia, European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships, took stock of cooperation since the last JCC on 16 June 2025.
The two sides welcomed the successful 25th EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held on 27-28 April 2026 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, and looked forward to the 50th anniversary of EU-ASEAN Dialogue Relations in 2027. They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the Strategic Partnership, with the EU expressing its intention to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting reviewed implementation of the Plan of Action (2023-2027), noting that 69.5% of action lines had been addressed, and expressed intention to explore practical cooperation in the four priority areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
In the field of peace and security, the EU and ASEAN underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity and maritime security, including sustainable ocean governance and the blue economy, and through the EU-ASEAN High-Level Dialogue on Maritime Security Cooperation. They also recognised growing challenges posed by cybercrime, including online scams and fraud, and expressed intention to further promote cooperation in this field.
On trade and economic issues, the two sides discussed the digital economy, green technologies, supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence, and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. They welcomed the ongoing roll-out of the EU's Global Gateway initiative and expressed satisfaction that all projects under the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) had become operational. The EU expressed its intention to scale up support for flagship initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid and the EU's Copernicus earth observation services. ASEAN encouraged the EU to support the new ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan (ACSP).
The EU and ASEAN agreed to intensify efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations, welcoming work by the ASEAN-EU Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWG-TI) on digital trade, green services, and supply chain resilience, as well as ongoing work towards finalising the ASEAN-EU Digital Trade Principles (DTP). They reaffirmed efforts towards a region-to-region ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement in the longer term. The meeting also noted the work of the Joint Working Group on Palm Oil to promote mutual understanding on sustainable production of vegetable oils.
On socio-cultural issues, the EU and ASEAN reiterated commitment to sustainable development, climate action, biodiversity protection, and circular economy. They welcomed the EU's continued support to the ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ACESP) and underlined shared interest in strengthening cooperation in disaster management and emergency response, including between the AHA Centre and the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). They also emphasised enhancing cooperation in education, skills development, research and innovation, including participation in Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe.
ASEAN welcomed the EU's contributions towards ASEAN Community-building and regional integration, calling on the EU to continue support for the implementation of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), including the IAI Work Plan V.
The meeting was attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), officials from EU institutions and the ASEAN Secretariat, with representatives of EU Member States and the European Investment Bank as observers.