The objective is to provide an overview of ASEAN’s environmental and economic importance, both globally and for the EU, and assess the potential environmental and economic benefits that could accrue to the EU from strengthening cooperation with ASEAN in the field of environment.
Specific attention is given to Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, for which country studies are presented.

Environmental benefits relate to two main interrelated objectives:
First, the promotion of adherence to and enforcement of multilateral environmental agreements, particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora;
Second, the reduction of the EU’s environmental footprint associated to imports of commodities and raw materials being produced and harvested in an unsustainable manner such as palm oil, fisheries products, timber, coffee and natural rubber.
The same applies to certain services (e.g. tourism) and manufactures (e.g. textiles). Potential commercial and economic benefits relate in turn to trade and investment opportunities associated to the growth in ASEAN’s environmental market, which is projected to be among the world’s fastest-growing ones in coming years.