by Kaisar | Apr 15, 2015 | Agriculture, Technical Reports
The rising demand for safe quality fruit and vegetables has meant that Quality Assurance (QA) systems based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) must be in place to satisfy domestic consumption and capturing new markets in the global economy. In addition to food safety, international requirements could also include the environmental sustainability, produce quality, and workers’ health and safety. Many ASEAN Member States (AMSs) have taken the initiative and developed country-specific GAP based QA systems primarily to satisfy the export market which are suitable to the local conditions and for their farmers to use. ASEAN introduced the ASEAN Good Agricultural Practice standard (ASEAN GAP) and published the “Good Agricultural Practices for the Production of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for the ASEAN Region” in 2006 to assist with the standardisation of fruit and vegetable GAP across the region. A harmonised GAP standard would mean easier trading between AMSs when the economic integration starts in 2015 as well as improve viability for farmers and help sustain a safe food supply. The most important standard that ASEAN GAP covers relates to food safety, wherein the alignment of the national standards has now become mandatory for the facilitation of free flow of goods and the enhancement of ASEAN competitiveness of agricultural products in the global market. Following the development of the standards, their adoption and the creation of the Strategic Plan, various activities have been carried out by the AMSs although at different levels and degrees corresponding to the commitment of the governments, availability of financial resources and knowledge of technical experts. This policy brief recommends action points for AMS to standardise GAP as...
by Kaisar | Apr 15, 2015 | Investment, Technical Reports
ASEAN’s integration efforts are pursued through key regional measures that among others, strengthen investment cooperation among ASEAN Member States, enhance investment protection and liberalization regimes, and promote ASEAN as an integrated investment and production network. All these have contributed to make the ASEAN region an attractive destination for foreign direct investments (FDI). With ASEAN’s continuing success as a competitive location hosting intermediate manufacturing facilities as well as value chain operations of transnational corporations (TNC), this year’s ASEAN Investment Report focuses on FDI development and regional value chains. The Report illustrates how the expansion of TNC operations and the increase in capacities of local firms to produce inputs have helped strengthen the development of the regional value chain which, in turn, underpins and contributes to ASEAN’s...
by Kaisar | Apr 15, 2015 | Investment, Technical Reports
The ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) came into effect on 29 March 2012 to support a free, open, transparent and integrated investment regime in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in line with the goal of achieving an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. This booklet gives readers a quick introduction of ACIA, including its background and rationale, features, economic benefits and coverage....
by Kaisar | Apr 15, 2015 | Investment, Technical Reports
The ASEAN Investment Report (AIR) is an annual publication of ASEAN aimed to provide a better understanding of the trends and developments in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region. This report gives additional focus on the significant contributions of ASEAN’s economic integration efforts to the transformation of the region as an investment destination. The report discusses FDI trends and policy developments in 2011, and describes the regional measures, individual actions and private sector contribution to the investment policy environment. It also discusses the changing FDI landscape, and the rise of enterprise regionalization and internationalization from ASEAN....
by Kaisar | Apr 15, 2015 | Investment, Technical Reports
Achievement of the ASEAN Economic Community goal related to a single market and production base requires the freer and enhanced flow of investment. ASEAN Member States (AMS) will need to take specific actions to enhance FDI, especially intra-ASEAN Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The successful undertaking of these requires a greater understanding of the nature of investment flows in ASEAN; an assessment of the determinants of, and impediments to, these flows; and the identification of follow-up actions that would lead to increased flows. These report analysed intra-ASEAN FDI. It explored the state of intra-ASEAN FDI, the benefits to the AMS, the stakeholders, the factors influencing investment, the impediments and the recommended initiatives for...
