ASEM Leaders, when they met in Brussels during the 8th ASEM Summit (Brussels, 4-5 Oct 2010), stressed that social cohesion rests on the widest possible participation of people in the creation of prosperity and on the equitable distribution of income.

They agreed to promote decent work and instructed Labour and Employment Ministers to further develop common strategies on various issues related to employment and social development.

The ASEM High Level Forum on Employment and Social Policy and Senior Official Meetings (SOM) was held in Vietnam to prepare for the 4th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference (ASEM LEMC4), which was also held in Vietnam in October 2012.