A High-level Meeting within the framework of the ASEM Economic Ministers’ Meeting took place from 16-17 September 2005, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The meeting was introduced by Mr. Laurens Jan BRINKHORST, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs for the Netherlands, and Mr Ian PEARSON MP, Minister of State for Trade for the UK. It was chaired by Mr Dirk BRUINSMA.

Senior Officials responsible for Trade and Investment attended from 13 Asian countries, with Indonesia and Korea acting on their behalf as coordinators, and from the 25 Member States of the European Union, coordinated by the United Kingdom, in its role as President of the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission.