ABSTRACT
Asia-Europe relations are in need of better communication. Why is this so? As the European Union (EU) struggles with the political and economic dangers of the ongoing financial and economic crisis, the importance of the Asian region for EU policymaking is becoming ever more evident. The crisis only highlights the undergoing power shift from ‘the West’ to ‘the East’ and the continuing need for the EU to react to the structural changes that have taken place in the international political economy following the end of the Cold War. At the same time, the successful economic development of emerging countries like China and India reinforces the cooperation and integration processes among Asian countries. 1 As a consequence, the practical importance of multilateral institutions that can contribute to governance and problem-solving capacities, such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), is increasing. Yet the ASEM 2010 summit in Brussels was not influenced by external developments alone. More than anything else, the accession of Russia poses a challenge to the inter-regional identity of ASEM. In addition, the accession of India (in 2008) and the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty requirements by the Belgium host of ASEM 8, increased the institutional asymmetry that forms part of ASEM’s identity (Bersick 2003: 203ff). As a result, ASEM’s European members have achieved greater unity, while ASEM’s Asian members have increased their diversity. How Asians and Europeans manage these changes and the challenges for governance they imply will largely determine the overall sustainability of the ASEM process.
