The first meeting of the Project Steering Committee of the ASEAN-EU Sustainable Connectivity Package on Trade (SCOPE Trade) took place on April 29 at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. Nguyen Anh Duc, Counsellor and Head of the Permanent Economic Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN, and Jerome Pons, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to ASEAN, co-chaired the meeting.

The meeting was described as a key milestone, formally moving the SCOPE Trade project into a substantive implementation phase.

With a total budget of around 20 million EUR (approximately VND530 billion) for 2025-2029, SCOPE Trade is one of the core initiatives under the ASEAN–EU Sustainable Connectivity Package, aimed at strengthening ASEAN economic integration and strengthening economic links between the two regions. The project focuses on three main pillars: policy improvement and trade facilitation; digital connectivity; and sustainable value chains.

At the meeting, ASEAN member states noted positive results in the first year of the project. SCOPE Trade focused on building analytical and institutional groundwork while carrying out initial technical activities directly supporting ASEAN integration processes.

Notably, the project has begun implementing support activities at the national level, enhancing the project’s substantive nature.

Specifically, it has supported Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore in reviewing service commitments under the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA); supported Laos in piloting railway transport under the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS); supported Cambodia in reviewing legal frameworks on competition policy; and supported the Philippines in strengthening capacity to implement service commitments.

In Vietnam, the project has supported the review of investment commitments under the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) and organised capacity-building activities to support negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). These activities are of practical significance, contributing to strengthening capacity for international economic integration and preparing for the implementation of regional commitments in the coming period.

At the first meeting, ASEAN member states and the EU agreed to adopt the project’s 2026 action plan.

Nguyen Anh Duc, Counsellor and Head of the Permanent Economic Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN, said: “The adoption of the 2026 work plan is an important step, laying the foundation for the SCOPE Trade project to move into a substantive implementation phase, delivering concrete and practical results for ASEAN members. In its role as coordinator of ASEAN-EU economic cooperation, Vietnam continues to play a proactive role in steering and guiding cooperation between the two regions. The successful co-chairing of the first Steering Committee meeting not only contributes to the effective implementation of the SCOPE Trade project, but also reinforces Vietnam’s position in leading regional economic cooperation initiatives.”

The project’s 2026 action plan continues to follow the three main pillars while strengthening activities focused on implementation aimed at achieving concrete and measurable results, particularly at the national level. The second-year work programme is expected to further expand national-level activities to ensure that project support translates into direct benefits for each member state, while helping narrow development gaps within the region.

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