Not only that, but trade chief Maroš Šefčovič also announced the EU’s goal to conclude remaining FTA negotiations with Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand before the 50th anniversary of EU-ASEAN relations in 2027.

All this on the sidelines of the 57th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, which marked the first time an EU trade commissioner had attended since 2018.

By all appearances, EU-ASEAN trade relations are on the up and up, and will continue rising for the foreseeable future.

This is certainly a silver lining to, and perhaps a product of, the US-driven trade chaos the world now faces. President Trump’s sweeping tariffs have arguably spurred both regions into action, with governments quickly realizing the need to secure reliable and long-lasting trade partnerships amid rising protectionism and shifting alliances.

At the ASEAN-EU Business Summit 2025, organized alongside the AEM meetings by the EU-ASEAN Business Council, leaders from both sides repeatedly underscored that the success of the EU-ASEAN relationship has been built on a shared commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based trading order.

The strength of this partnership is reflected in the persistent confidence among European businesses in ASEAN’s economic promise, despite the ongoing trade upheaval. In the latest EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Survey, ASEAN has emerged as the top region of economic opportunity for European businesses for the third year in a row, beating both India and China by a mile.