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Europe - Asia ties: Move up a gear

Connectivity is in the very DNA of the EU, as a political project based on market integration.

Federica Mogherini (The Jakarta Post)

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Brussels

Wed, October 3, 2018 Published on Oct. 3, 2018 Published on 2018-10-03T08:59:34+07:00

European Union's flags in Brussels. (Shutterstock/File)

E

urope and Asia have a centuries-old common history. The ties between the two continents are today reaching an unprecedented level. Asian markets account for over one third of exports from the European Union. Almost half of the goods and services imported by the EU come from Asian countries.

Every year, thousands of students, academics, researchers move between the EU and Asia. The cultural exchanges between our cities are vibrant. And there is more to our mutual relationship than just economic or scientific exchanges: the EU and Asian countries have a common interest in preserving a cooperative, rules-based and peaceful international system, where multilateral organizations are the natural fora for reaching common solutions.

This relationship needs to rely on effective, functioning and sustainable connectivity, in other words on the physical and non-physical infrastructure, through which goods, services, ideas and people can flow unhindered.

While connectivity has always been a part of the EU’s policy towards Asia, until now the EU has not used its potential in this area to the full. That is why we have proposed earlier this month a new policy framework to step up the EU action, an EU strategy on connectivity between Europe and Asia.