ASEANcham EU

27/05/2026

Our Board and Advisory Board members were honoured to present during a courtesy call our Chamber to the newly appointed Ambassador of Indonesia to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, H.E. Mr Andy Rachmianto. We had also the occasion to introduce one of our succesful corporate members in the defence sector, active in Souhtheast Asia🫱🏼‍🫲🏻
We are looking forward to collaborating with the Embassy of Indonesia for boosting trade under the CEPA trade agreement with the EU and from other ASEAN member states to strengthen further the ASEAN - EU relations during its ‘50 Anniversary next year 📈and connect business communities from the 2 regions🌐

21/05/2026

⏰ [REMINDER] Only a few weeks to go until the ASEAN–EU Business Forum in Brussels - Trade at a Crossroads 🌏🤝🇪🇺, reserve your seat!

Join policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, and trade experts on 4 June 2026 in Brussels for insightful discussions on the future of EU–ASEAN trade and investment amid evolving global tariff shifts. 📈🌐

✨ Expert panels
🤝 Networking lunch reception
💼 Connect with the EU–ASEAN business community
📍 Thai Café, Steenweg op Brussel 395, 1780 Wemmel, Belgium

👉 Register now and be part of the conversation shaping the future between two dynamic regions: https://www.aseancham.eu/asean-eu-business-forum-with-a-networking-lunch-reception-on-4th-june-2026/

19/05/2026

🎓We are proud to support academic collaboration between Europe and Southeast Asia through the leadership of our Vice-Chair, Lay Hwee Yeo.

A delegation of 20 students from the 🇸🇬 Singapore Management University had the opportunity to visit the Brussels campus of our corporate member UBI Business School and attend an insightful lecture on “The Imperatives of the EU’s Engagement with ASEAN.” 🇪🇺🤝🌏

The visit provided valuable perspectives on EU-ASEAN relations, international cooperation, and the importance of strengthening connections between academia and business communities.

We look forward to fostering even more meaningful exchanges that inspire the next generation of global leaders. ✨

07/05/2026

[INVITATION] 🌏🤝🇪🇺 Registration is now open for the ASEAN–EU Business Forum: Trade at a Crossroads!

Join policymakers, business leaders, diplomats, and trade experts on 4 June 2026 in Brussels for a high-level discussion on the future of EU–ASEAN trade and investment relations amid evolving global tariff shifts. 📈🌐

✨ Expect:
🎤 Expert insights & panel discussions
🤝 High-level networking lunch reception
💼 Opportunities to connect with the EU–ASEAN business community
📍 Thai Café Wemmel, Belgium

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with key stakeholders shaping the future of two dynamic regions.

👉 More details and register now: https://www.aseancham.eu/asean-eu-business-forum-with-a-networking-lunch-reception-on-4th-june-2026/

ASEANcham-EU is organizing an ASEAN - EU Business Forum with a networking reception lunch on Thursday 4th June 2026 from 10.00 to 14.00 in the presence of the ASEAN Embassies and EU, business community representatives

30/04/2026

It was a pleasure for our Advisory Board member Andrew Jacobs and Intern Melissa Bilbao to engage in a meaningful exchange with Maria Filomena Abrantes from Peace, Reconciliation and Conflict Historical Researcher, Centro Nacional Chega (CNC - public institution) in Dili, focusing on Andrew’s experience as former EU Ambassador to Timor-Leste 🇹🇱. The discussion explored the country’s development, as well as its unique position as the only ASEAN member with Portuguese as an official language.

Andrew also underscored Timor-Leste’s strong potential in key sectors such as coffee ☕ and tourism 🗺️, particularly in strengthening ties with Europe.

Maria expressed great interest in deepening her understanding of best business practices and looks forward to further engagement with ASEANcham-EU to foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration 🤝.

16/04/2026

📅 [SAVE THE DATE] 🌏🤝🇪🇺

Join us for the ASEAN–EU Business Forum: Trade at a Crossroads

🔎 EU–ASEAN FTAs as a Strategic Response to Global Tariff Shifts

📍 Thai café Wemmel, Belgium
🗓 Thursday, 4 June 2026
🕘 From 10:00 to 14:00

Co-organised by the Royal Thai Embassy Brussels (Chair of the ASEAN Brussels Committee), the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce to the EU (ASEANcham EU) and the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), this high-level hybrid forum will bring together policymakers, business leaders, and trade experts to explore:

🌐 The evolving global trade landscape
📈 Opportunities through EU–ASEAN Free Trade Agreements
💼 Investment and business expansion in ASEAN & EU
🗣 Strategic insights from public and private sector leaders

Expect:
🎤 Expert presentations
🔥 Engaging panel discussions
🤝 High-level networking lunch

With around 100 onsite participants including:
🏛 Government officials
🌏 ASEAN ambassadors
🏢 European & ASEAN businesses
🤝 Business associations & chambers

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect to the EU-ASEAN bubble, learn, and shape the future of 2 Regions trade and investment.

👉 Stay tuned, more details and registration coming soon!

06/04/2026

A very insightful morning at the Indonesia–Netherlands Trade Gateway 🌏🤝, hosted by the Embassy of Indonesia in The Hague KBRI Den Haag 🇮🇩🇳🇱 in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade of Indonesia Kementerian Perdagangan.

This forum brought together Dutch businesses, investors, and Indonesian exporters 💼📈 to explore concrete opportunities for trade, investment, and long-term collaboration between our two countries.

What stood out most was the clear strategic positioning of the Netherlands as a key gateway into Europe 🚢🌍 for Indonesian products, supported by its strong logistics infrastructure and market access capabilities. At the same time, Indonesia continues to present itself as a dynamic and rapidly growing economy 🚀 with significant export potential and a strong focus on sustainability 🌱 and innovation 💡.

A central theme throughout the discussions was the upcoming Indonesia–EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) 📜. This agreement is expected to significantly reduce trade barriers, enhance regulatory transparency, and open up nearly all tariff lines, creating a powerful catalyst ⚡ for increased bilateral trade and investment flows.

Beyond policy and macroeconomics, the forum also emphasized the human and entrepreneurial dimension 👥. Young Indonesian entrepreneurs were encouraged to step confidently into the European market 🌍, building partnerships that go beyond trade alone—fostering innovation 💡, sustainability 🌱, and shared prosperity 🤝.

The message was clear:
This is not just about trade, but about building a future-proof 🔮, resilient 💪, and mutually beneficial economic relationship between Indonesia and the Netherlands 🇮🇩🇳🇱.

Looking forward to seeing how these discussions translate into tangible partnerships 🤝 and business opportunities 📊 in the near future.

13/03/2026

Celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Netherlands 🇵🇭🫱🏼‍🫲🏻🇳🇱, ASEANcham EU representatives attended the Appreciation Program for Dutch Companies Operating in the Philippines on 9 March 2026. 🎉

The event recognised the important role Dutch companies play in supporting economic development in the Philippines and highlighted the strong partnership between the two countries. 📈

ASEANcham EU looks forward to continued cooperation that strengthens ties between Europe and Southeast Asia. 🌍🔗🌏

13/03/2026

Europe and Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly interconnected, not only through trade but also through digital infrastructure and strategic partnerships. 🌍🤝🌏💻

In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain reconfiguration and the race towards secure and sustainable digital economies, stronger Europe–Asia cooperation is becoming more important than ever. 🔗⚙️🌱

On 9 March, Marco de Jong, Member of the Advisory Board of ASEANCham EU, attended the Europe–Philippines Connectivity Exchange in Amsterdam, a business forum bringing together European Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers, enterprise leaders and policymakers to explore how the Philippines can serve as a strategic digital and economic gateway between Europe and Asia, supported by PLDT Global’s expanding infrastructure. 🌐🚀

The event, hosted at the KIT Institute in Amsterdam, featured valuable perspectives from H.E. Allan B. Gepty, Undersecretary for International Trade at the Philippine Department of Trade & Industry, and H.E. J. Eduardo Malaya, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 🎤🇵🇭🇳🇱

Their remarks highlighted the growing trade relationship between the Netherlands and the Philippines, as well as the significance of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 🤝📈

In an era where innovation, industrialisation strategies and resilient supply chains are becoming critical, deeper Philippines–Europe economic ties can support innovation-driven industries, strengthen digital ecosystems and create new opportunities for sustainable and inclusive growth across both regions. 💡🏗️🌏

Many thanks to PLDT, the Philippine Embassy in The Netherlands and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center - Brussels (DTI) for organizing this valuable exchange. 🙏✨

12/03/2026

We are very proud of the participation of our Vice-Chair and Intern in a closed-door dialogue on the topic « Roundtable discussion on strategic engagement with the EU: Asian Perspectives » in order to share the insights from the ASEAN-EU relations perspective.