ASEM
Event Types

ASEM works through meetings and activities organised at different levels.

Summits
Heads of State and Government of the ASEM countries, the Presidents of the European Council and of the European Commission, and the ASEAN Secretary General attend ASEM Summits. They serve as the highest level of decision-making in the ASEM Process, and are held every second year, alternating between Asia and Europe.

In conjunction with the Summit, side events including Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF), Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF)ASEM Cultural FestivalASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS) and the ASEF Editors’Roundtabe(ASEFERT) are organised.

Foreign Ministers’ Meetings
Foreign Ministers’ Meetings are attended by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the ASEM countries, and the ASEAN Secretary General. They are responsible for the overall coordination of the ASEM Process and are the driving force of the ASEM political dialogue.

Other Ministerial Meetings
Ministers of Finance, Culture, Economic, Education, Labour, Transport, Environment and Employment meet on a regular basis. Additional ministerial conferences are held irregularly on specific issues and areas that are not covered by the main ministerial meetings.

Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOMs)
These meetings bring together high-level civil servants from the Foreign Ministries of all ASEM Partners for the overall coordination of the ASEM Process. Sectoral SOMs are also held in preparation of the various ministerial meetings.

Other Meetings
Other meetings include Customs Directors-General Meetings, Conferences of Directors-General of Immigration, Mayors and Governors’ Meetings or ad hoc activities on topics such as sustainable development, nuclear safety, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity and others.

ASEM Initiatives & Other Activities
ASEM Initiatives and other activates are organised by ASEM Partners on a wide range of topics of mutual interests.

ASEM Glossary

  • ASEM
    Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)

  • ASEM Partners
    30 European & 21 Asian countries & 2 regional organisations participating in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
  • ASEM##
    ##th ASEM Summit
  • ASEMFMM##
    ##th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMFinMM##
    ##th ASEM Finance Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMCMM##
    ##th ASEM Culture Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMEMM##
    ##th ASEM Economic Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMME##
    ##th ASEM Education Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMLEMC##
    ##th ASEM Labour & Employment Ministers’ Conference

  • ASEMTMM##
    ##th ASEM Transport Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMEnvMM##
    ##th ASEM Environment Ministers’ Meeting

  • ASEMESMC##
    ##th ASEM Ministerial Conference on Energy Security
  • ASEMSOM## for …
    ##th ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting for ASEM Summits, ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meetings & overall coordination of the ASEM Process (MFAs)

  • APGC##
    ##th Meeting of ASEM Pathfinder Group on Connectivity
  • ASEMMGM#
    #th ASEM Meeting of Governors & Mayors

  • AWC##
    ##th Meeting of the ASEM Working Group on Customs Matters

  • ASEMPWG##
    ##th ASEM Customs Procedures Working Group Meeting

  • ASEMEWG##
    ##th ASEM Customs Enforcement Working Group Meeting

  • ASEMSDD##
    ##th ASEM Sustainable Development Dialogue