The Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) plays a crucial role in promoting mutual understanding among the people and countries of Asia and Europe. It adds the complement of parliamentary diplomacy to an ASEM process otherwise dominated by intergovernmental meetings. It meets every 2 years. Having as one of its objectives to influence the agenda of the ASEM Leaders, it usually convenes in the place where the Summit is hosted and shortly before it.

Former ASEP meetings were held in a good and constructive spirit and always had an impressive turnout. In Brussels, in the context of ASEM8, ASEP convened for the 6th time. It was held 4 months in advance of the Summit to allow itself enough lead time for its recommendations to be fed into Summit proceedings. It promises to uphold the level of participation of former meetings.

ASEP6 was organised and coordinated by the services of the Belgian Federal Parliament (Chamber of Representatives and Senate).