The objective of the Seminar is to improve understanding and build a framework for enhancing electronic transactions within ASEM. The event is focused on identifying and reducing the differences in existing regulations and standards that hinder Asia-Europe transactions, and examine the establishment of common standards and norms for Asia and Europe. At the Seminar, some of the issues addressed by the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in October 2000 as concrete goals 2000-2002 of ASEM Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP) on e-Commerce will be delivered.

At the official meeting on October 26, 2001, building a framework was discussed to conduct the proposed deliverables as follows:

• To identify and reduce the differences in existing regulations and standards which hinder Asia-Europe transactions, and to examine the establishment of common standards and norms for Asia and Europe;
• To adopt basic frameworks of other fields of ASEM TFAP;
• Annually hosted by Asian and European countries alternately
• To decide which nations (one in Asia and one in Europe) are responsible for each deliverable, considering diversity of the deliverables described below;
• To be decided at the Seoul Meeting in October, 2001
• To organize ad hoc working groups whenever intensive researches are required;
• To review any addition of other necessary subjects and cooperation programme in ASEM TFAP;
• To encourage the participation of experts in the private sector in the discussion, particularly through AEBF