Date: Wednesday, 11 December
Time: 12.30 – 14:30 Brussels
The EU has undergone a significant leadership change in 2025, with new figures taking the helm across the European Commission and European Parliament. Inevitably, this transition will shape the EU’s external policies, including its relations with ASEAN.
Some of the issues that will be discussed include:
- What geopolitical priorities will be new EU leadership embrace? Where does ASEAN play a role in this?
- How will the EU’s foreign policy, digital economy strategy, climate goals, and trade policies evolve under this new leadership?
- What impact will these changes have on ASEAN, especially in areas like sustainability (e.g. environmental cooperation), digital trade (e.g. deepening EU-ASEAN digital trade cooperation), and security?
- Will the EU be closer to ASEAN and work with them on the above critical issues, as well as amend an increasingly fraught relationship?
- Will the new leadership push for greater European strategic autonomy, and what impact will this have on EU-ASEAN partnerships in defence, supply chain resilience, and technology?
- Will we be able to see a region-to-region FTA come to life during this leadership?