Indonesia: Five agreements reached at 55th AEM

Semarang, The Gulf Observer: Five agreements were forged at the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM) in Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said.

Hasan told the press after the meeting that its achievements included the overall completion of the ASEAN Services Facilitation Framework (ASFF) and the Signing of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand Framework (AANZFTA), among others.

“In the service sector (ASFF), for instance, for the architect profession, we have an ASEAN architects association, so architects can work anywhere in ASEAN,” he said.

Within the ASFF framework, it is also possible for medical professionals in ASEAN to work in other countries within the region, he added.

“Likewise in other fields, I think later doctors and others will (get the same facility),” he said.

Besides the completion of ASFF, and the update of AANZFTA, another thing that was agreed at the meeting was the Ratification of the Study on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).

The meeting also agreed on the Ratification of the Ministerial Declaration regarding the Project-Based Industry Initiative Framework in ASEAN and the Ratification of the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Establishment of the Support Unit of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Indonesia pushed seven priority agreements at the 55th AEM. The Trade Minister said that the other two priority agreements are targeted for completion by the end of 2023.

The other two priority agreements are the Full Implementation of the Electronic Certificate of Origin through the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) and the Finalization of the Standards Harmonization Road Map to Support Sustainable Development Implementation.

The series of the 55th AEM and Related Meetings are being held from August 17–22, 2023, in Semarang, Central Java.