In october Asia Euro Business & Society is launching

" Twin Regions Magazine"

Setting up a B to B (business), C to C (cities) and R to R (regions) China Europe INTERNET PLATFORM

Presenting, Promoting and Linking local leaders and representatives from companies, cities and regions

Developing local business and cultural themes and projects between China Europe companies cities and regions

Promoting local opportunities to present and to develop activities, products, services and events between EU China companiies cities and regions

This magazine will be in English, French and Chinese Language

ASIA EUROPE BUSINESS FORUM

What is AEBF?
The Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) is a meeting of business
leaders, created to strengthen economic co-operation between the
business sectors of Asia and Europe.

(for more information on AEBF, please visit our new website: www.aebf.info )

At the highest level ASIA—EUROPE BUSINESS FORUM

AEBF convenes in parallel with the ASEM Heads of States Summit.
AEBF also develops recommendations that are addressed to the governments of the Asian and European countries participating in the ASEM process. The recommendations aim at enhancing economic co-operation between the two continents,based on the experience and knowledge of business leaders

From France since 1996

The first AEBF was organised in 1996 in Paris, France.
AEBF strives to deepen relations between business leaders and
governments in the ASEM countries.


Over the years the AEBF has succeeded in facilitating economic growth
and mutual economic co-operation and in enhancing business relations among the ASEM countries


An experienced working process

AEBF consists of two main components;
- Plenary Sessions with speeches by high profile business leaders and political figures
- Working Group discussions chaired by business representatives. Working Groups are generally Trade, Investment, Financial Services, ICT and Infrastructure.
At the end of each meetings AEBF provides several recommendations based on conclusions of the Working Group discussions.
These recommendations are then delivered officially to the Heads Of State during the formal meeting of the ASEM Summit.
A Gala Dinner is hosted in the evening of the first day of AEBF.
Throughout AEBF the programme offers range of possibilities for networking at the appropriate as well as the highest levels.
Leaders of Asia and Europe have then an outstanding opportunity to gather together at a Summit to discuss topical issues on the international agenda


A sustainable track record
The Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) provides an opportunity for the business communities from Asia and Europe to review issues relating to trade and investment and offer input to the official ASEM dialogue. The Forum has met ten times so far:
• AEBF 1 was held in Paris on 14-15 October 1996
• AEBF 2 was held in Bangkok on 13-14 November 1997
• AEBF 3 was held in London on 2-3 April 1998
• AEBF 4 was held in Seoul on 29 September – 1 October 1999
• AEBF 5 was held in Vienna on 29-30 September 2000
• AEBF 6 organised by the Singapore National Employers Federation was held in Singapore on 8-9 October 2001
• AEBF 7 was held in Copenhagen on 18/19 September 2002
• AEBF 8 took place in Seoul on 27-29 October 2003
• AEBF 9 took place in Hanoi, 7-8 October 2004, in the margin of the ASEM 5 Summit.
• AEBF 10 was held in Helsinki on 10-11 September 2006 alongside the ASEM 6 Summit

ASEM Partners: 38countries plus European Commission and from 2006: India

The AEBF countries are: Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea,Latvia, Laos, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar,
Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
The European Commission is also involved in the process as well as from 2006 India..

ASIA EUROPE HEADS OF STATE MEETING ( ASEM )

As two of the major actors on the world stage, Asia and Europe have a lot to gain from each other and to offer the world through building a closer partnership.
ASEM, the Asia-Europe Meeting, is a forum that constitutes the main multilateral channel for communication between Asia and Europe. It represents a process based on dialogue with the objective of strengthening interaction and mutual understanding between the two regions.
The Asia—Europe Meeting (ASEM) is a co-operation process for Asian
and European countries.
It was initiated to strengthen dialogue and interaction between the two regions. In November 1994, Singapore and France proposed that an Asia-Europe summit meeting be held, to consider how to build a new partnership between the two regions.
The inaugural ASEM Summit was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1996 and since then the meeting of Heads of State or Government has been organised every two years alternately in Asia and Europe.
The ASEM process is based on dialogue with the objective of strengthening mutual understanding between the two regions as well as promoting concrete co-operation aimed at sustainable economic and social development. Co-operation covers three sectors, referred to as
- the political pillar,
- the economic pillar and
- the cultural pillar.

ASEM co-operation consists of meetings convened at various levels:
meetings of:
- the Heads of State or Government (Summits),
- ministerial meetings
- the senior officials’ meetings (SOM/SOMTI) and
- the expert level meetings.

Promoting dialogue with the business sector

Economic cooperation betweenAsia and Europe would not be complete without the participation of the businesscommunity. As a follow-up to the ASEM 1Summit in 1996, the Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF), involving business leaders and government representatives from the two regions, was launched to promote business partnership and business government links. AEBF provides an opportunity for the business communities fromAsia and Europe to review issues relating to trade and investment and offer input to the official ASEM dialogue. Currently, the AEBF is held every other year.

The future of ASEM 23
The first ASEM decade has confirmed the belief that Asia and Europe need each
other in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world.
The following principles are expected to guide ASEM’s work in the coming period:
• Recognition of the ever-growing interdependence between Asia and Europe, and of ASEM’s role as a prime point of convergence between the two regions.
• A strong commitment to promoting multilateralism and a fair, just and rule-based international order, with the UN playing the central role, and taking into account the combined weight of Asia and Europe.
• A continued focus on free and open dialogue, to be complemented by focused
actions and result-oriented initiatives in key areas where ASEM can add value to
cooperation at the bilateral, sub-regional and multilateral levels.
• Keeping the ASEM process informal, while reinforcing institutional mechanisms in order to facilitate more effective coordination and enhance the sustainability of the process, thereby forging a stronger partnership.

Building on a solid foundation, ASEM will enter its second decade with a strengthened role and a renewed capacity to adapt to a changing global environment.

From Singapore to Beijing

Wdf 2008 to AEBF - Last news from WDF

Following the successfull Deauville forum the 2008 edition of the WDF was planed for next september in Singapore. The main theme was chosen and experts are still at work.

Some interesting changes occurred and my duty as well as my pleasure are to report them to you.

When preparing WDF2008 we investigated Euro-Asian Institutions and we were confirmed that Asia Europe countries from ASEM will have their Head of States annual meeting in Beijing in October 2008. This meeting is generally held back to back with a business leaders meeting called the Asia Europe Business Forum (AEBF) www.. We understood that, despite his prestigious surroundings AEBF needs more notoriety as well as to be more internationally known. The concept and the success of WDF pleased number of active AEBF members but worried them if our Asia Europe Dialogue was held one month before theirs. After a very constructive dialogue we decided to join our resources and our efforts.

Concepts and resources of WDF should be used not to compete AEBF but to reinforce it.

WDF proposed to support AEBF as a permanent secretariat and this proposition which is greeted by AEBF will be presented for approval at the 2008 meeting. Consequently WDF2008 in Singapore is transfered to AEBF Beijing.

I am sure that by joining our forces we will increase Europe Asia Business dialogues with a vision of an Economy For All and we will promote a better understanding between cultures and people