This document provides a comparative summary of the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It outlines that both are regional intergovernmental organizations, but that the EU has evolved from an economic cooperation bloc into a more integrated supra-national entity with common policies and currency, while ASEAN focuses on inter-governmental cooperation based on principles of non-interference in members' domestic affairs and decision making by consensus. The EU currently has 27 member countries, while ASEAN has 10 members across Southeast Asia with more diverse political and economic systems.

1. Comparative Study of EU and
ASEANs
Presented by
Aung Ko Ko Toe
Knowledge Propagation Society

2. Comparative Study of EU & ASEANs
• International Organization
• Regionalism
• EU
• ASEANs
• What opportunities for Burma.

3. International
Organization
International governmental
Organization (IGOs)
International Non-governmental
Organization (INGOs)

4. International Organization
1) IGOs
2) INGOs
3) Regional Organization
Blocs (eg; West bloc, East bloc during Cold War.)
- NGOs, CSOs, CBOs, Local Associations

5. International Organization
The most common bases for categorizing
international organizations are the following:
• Membership – whether they have a restricted or
universal membership.
• Competence – issue based.
• Function –programme or operational based
• Decision-making authority – inter-governmentalism
or supra-nationalism.

6. Regionalism
 Regionalism is the theory or practice of coordinating
a) social,
b) economic or
c) political activities
within a geographical region comprising a
number of states.
‘

7. Nature of Regionalism
• Inter-governmental
• Supra-national
Three types of regionalism can thus be identified:
1. Economic regionalism
2. Security regionalism
3. Political regionalism

8. Inter-governmental
interaction among states which takes place on the basis of
sovereign independence.
Supra-national
the existence of an authority that is higher than that of the
nation-state and capable of imposing its will on it.
1) Cooperation
2) Association
3) Interaction
4) Integration

9. Inter-governmentalism
• Inter-governmentalism is the weakest form of
supranational cooperation;
• form of state interaction which preserves the
independence and sovereignty of each nation.
• treaties or alliances,
• bilateral agreements between states.

10. Supranational as Empire
• The most common supranational bodies have
been empires,
• Ranging from the ancient empires of Egypt,
China, Persia and Rome to the modern
European empires of Britain, France, Portugal
and Holland.
• Empires are structures of political domination,
comprising a diverse collection of cultures,
ethnic groups and nationalities,

11. Economic regionalism
• to the creation of greater economic opportunities
through cooperation among states in the same
geographical region.
• It is the primary form of regional integration
• Eg; OPEC, ECSC

12. • establishment of the ECSC in 1952. Not
only has the ECSC given way to the EEC,
the EC and, in due course, the EU, but other
changes have,
• for example, seen the creation of a single
market (through the Single European Act
(SEA) in 1986),
• monetary union (agreed by the TEU in 1993)
and the establishment of the EU as a single
legal entity (through the Lisbon Treaty in
2009).Most
• significantly, the EEC/EC/EU has gone
through a substantial process of widening
and deepening.
• It has widened as the original Six (France,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium
and Luxembourg) became, over time, 27
1) ECSC
2) EEC
3) EC
4) EU

14. Current Member Countries (27)
Name in English Year of Membership
• France 1952
• Germany 1952
• The Netherlands 1952
• Belgium 1952
• Luxembourg 1952
• Italy 1952
• Ireland 1973
• United Kingdom 1973
• Denmark 1973
• Greece 1981
• Spain 1986
• Portugal 1986
• Austria 1995
• Finland 1995
• Sweden 1995
Name in English Year of Membership
• Estonia 2004
• Latvia 2004
• Lithuania 2004
• Poland 2004
• Czech Republic 2004
• Slovakia 2004
• Slovenia 2004
• Hungary 2004
• Malta 2004
• Cyprus 2004
• Bulgaria 2007
• Romania 2007

15. EU’s Decision Making Process
three main institutions:
The European Parliament (EP), legislative and budgetary
power with the Council of the European Union.
The Council of the European Union, the EU’s main decision-
making body. Heads of State or Government level,
The European Commission, The EC is the main executive
body.
It has the right to propose legislation and ensures that EU
policies are properly implemented.

16. EU’s Decision Making Process

17. EU’s Decision Making Process
• institutional triangle produces the policies & law that
apply throughout the EU.
• Two other institutions,
• Court of Justice - upholds the rule of European law
• Court of Auditors – checks the financing of the Union’s
activities.

18. EU’s Decision Making Process
• The powers and responsibilities are laid down in
Treaties.
• rules and procedures
• the Treaties are agreed by the presidents and/or prime
ministers of all EU Countries, and ratified by their
parliaments.

19. Aims of EU
• Peace
• Prosperity
• Freedom
for its 495 million citizens
– in a fairer, safer world.

20. Europe’s Expansion & Goals
1. Peace and Stability
2. Bringing Europe Together Again
3. Safety and Security
4. Economic and Social Solidarity
5. Identity in Globalised World
6. Values

21. EU Membership Conditions
New members must have;
• Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy
- Rule of Law, human rights, respect for and
protection of minorities.
• Economy
- Functioning market economy
- Capacity for competitive pressure
- Market Forces

22. EU Membership Conditions
New members must have;
• Ability to take on obligations of membership
- Support for the aims of the Union.
- Public Administration capable of applying &
managing EU laws in practice.

23. EU Institution

24. Treaty of Rome (1958)
• This initial agreement established the basic principle
of freedom of movement of goods, persons, services
and capital.
• The basic institutional mechanisms were created
- European Court of Justice
- Council of Ministers
- European Commission
- European Parliament
It is more of a supra-national constitution than an inter-
governmental agreement as it confers enforceable
legal obligations.

25. What are the Results So Far?
• The single market is one of the European Union’s
greatest achievements.
• Restrictions between member countries on trade and
free competition have gradually been eliminated, with
the result that standards of living have increased.
• The euro is the single currency of the European Union.
It is currently used by 12 EU members, and the new
member countries are getting ready to use it in the
future.
• (So far, the UK, Denmark, and Sweden do not want to
use it)

26. What are the Results So Far?
• Freedom of movement: Citizens of member
countries can now travel, live and work
anywhere in Europe.
• Safer food and a greener environment.
• Better living standards in poorer regions,
thanks in part to financial and technical
support from the EU.
• Joint action on crime and terrorism.

27. Qualified majority voting:
• A system of voting in which different majorities are needed on
different issues, with states’votes weighted (roughly)
according to size.
• Number of Votes for Each Country in the Council
Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom 29
Spain and Poland 27
Romania 14
Netherlands 13
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal 12
Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden 10
Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland 7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia 4
Malta 3
Total 345

29. Founding members:
INDONESIA
MALAYSIA
THAILAND
PHILIPPINES
SINGAPORE
Countries which become
members later on:
BRUNEI 1984
VIETNAM 1995
LAO 1997
MYANMAR 1997
CAMBODIA 1999

30. ASEANs
• ASEAN, is a regional intergovernmental
organization made up of ten nation-states:
• founded on 8 August 1967

31. Basic Facts about ASEAN Region
• ASEAN covers an area of 4.46 million km: 2.3% of the
total land area of Earth.
• In 2010, its combined gross domestic product had
grown to USD $1.8 trillion
• If ASEAN were a single country, it would rank as the
9th largest economy in the world and the 3rd largest in
Asia in terms of nominal GDP.
• The ASEAN region has a population of about 600
million, 8.8% of the world population
• Uses English in official discussions.
• 987 ASEAN meetings in year 2011, over 1120 expected
in year 2012.

32. ASEAN Diversity
• 65 % of the total ASEAN population is
Muslim.
• World’s largest Muslim nation- Indonesia.
World’s most developed Muslim nation-
Malaysia.
• World’s largest Buddhist communities in
Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
• Asia’s largest Christian nation, the Philippines.

33. ASEAN Political Landscape
• From absolute (Brunei) to constitutional
monarchies (Thailand).
• From Burmese-style military dictatorship
(currently transforming itself into hybrid semi-
authoritarian regime) to Vietnamese-style state
capitalism.
• From free for all Filipino democracy to one-party
rule in Singapore, Cambodia.
• From people’s power in Indonesia to government
power in Malaysia.
• Laos is a very unique hybrid.

34. Aims & Purposes of ASEANs
• the promotion of
1) regional peace and 2) stability,
• the acceleration of
• economic growth,
• social progress and
• cultural development.

35. Main Principles of ASEANs
• Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty,
equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all
nations;
• Right of every state to lead national existence free from
external interference, subversion or coercion;
• Noninterference in internal affairs;
• Settlement of disputes by peaceful means; Do not
threaten or use force against each other;
• Effective cooperation among members;
• Decisions are made by consultation and consensus.

36. Why does ASEAN focus on non-interference
in other member states’ affairs?
• Question

37. Reasons for Non-interference
1) struggling to hold their countries together
2) build their national identities
3) didn’t want other governments to encourage
separatist movements or anti-government
movements
4) The smaller states were also worried about
bigger countries using force or threats of force
against them.
5) Each government wanted to make sure it had
full sovereignty over its territory.

38. ASEAN Ways
• Non-interference in the domestic affairs of
member states;
• Decision by consensus;
• Avoidance of building institutions or developing
legally binding instruments which are rigid and
restrict the freedom of member states to act
according to their perceived national interest;

39. • If they all agree to make a policy on a
particular issue, that’s fine.
• However, there will be no punishment if
countries don’t implement the policy.
ASEAN Ways

40. ASEAN Summit
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
(Foreign Ministers)
AFTA Council
The Secretary-General

41. • ASEAN is currently organized around three
ideas:
1) ASEAN security community, (ASC)
2) ASEAN economic community, (AEC)
3) ASEAN socio-cultural community.
• More emphasis is put on the first two.
Three Pillars of ASEAN

42. ASEAN Security Community
• to promote regional peace and stability by
building up closer ties between the member
countries.
• to build up mutual respect and solidarity.
• In 1992,
– more on building cooperative relations with other
states in the Asia-Pacific region.
• In 1994,
– the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was established.

43. ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
1) promotes confidence-building,
2) preventive diplomacy and
3) conflict resolution in the region.
• holds one big meeting a year for informal
discussions on major regional security issues in
the region,
• the relationship amongst the major powers,
– non-proliferation,
– counter-terrorism,
– transnational crime, South China Sea and the Korean
Peninsula, among others.

44. This meeting is attended by the foreign minister of each
participating country. (ARF)
1) Australia,
2) Bangladesh,
3) Canada,
4) China,
5) East Timor,
6) European Union,
7) India,
8) Japan,
9) Mongolia
10) New Zealand,
11) North Korea,
12) Pakistan,
13) Papua New Guinea,
14) Russia,
15) South Korea,
16)Sri Lanka,
17) United States.

45. ASEAN Plus Three.
• ASEAN has built cooperative ties with states
in the Asia-Pacific region,
– China,
– Japan, and
– South Korea,
who are called ASEAN’s
three “Dialogue Partners”.

46. ASEAN Economic Community
• made many trade agreements to reduce tariffs on
goods traded between ASEAN countries.
• working on creating an ASEAN Free Trade Area
(AFTA).
• If there are no more tariffs or trade barriers then
there will be greater economic efficiency and
productivity in ASEAN.
• working on increasing transportation links by
building highways and railway networks and
increasing flights between their countries.

47. ASEAN Economic Community
• working on increasing
transportation links
• by building highways
and railway networks
• increasing flights
between their countries.

48. ASEAN Vision 2020.
Its goal is
• to create a stable, prosperous and highly
competitive ASEAN economic region
– free flow of goods, services, investment and
– a freer flow of capital,
• equitable economic development and reduced
poverty and socio-economic disparities in year
2020.

49. Thank