Economics and Politics of East Asian Co-operation and China's Role in the Process: Opportunities and Challenges

The EIAS-Nomisma Study Project commissioned by the EU Commission on the Economics and Politics of East Asian Co-operation and China's Role in the Process: Opportunities and Challenges for the EU is proceeding very well and is entering it final stage.

Using a multi-disciplinary approach, EIAS and Nomisma brought together a Team of fifteen renowned experts from Europe, East Asia and the United States to collaborate on tackling all issues with respect to this major project which serves to reassess Europe’s strategic interests in East Asia and to provide information on the region’s likely development in economic, political, security and socio-cultural terms, with a special focus on intra-regional co-operation and, in particular, China’s role.

Over the past several months Experts carried out interviews with officials, policy-makers and experts from research institutions, academia and civil society, across Europe, East Asia and the United States and undertook in-depth analysis and research.

In total, more than 100 expert interviews have been carried out in over 16 countries. The Focus-Group Questionnaire has been a crucial and effective tool in this project with over 80 questionnaires providing valuable input.

In the framework of the study the EIAS convened a two-day Brainstorming Workshop on 16 and 17 June 2005. The Workshop was held at the European Commission's Charlemagne Building in Brussels. This two-day event brought together the study Team of Experts and Commission and Council officials and the invited Chairpersons of the European Parliament's delegations for relations with Asia.

During the Workshop the Team of Experts who throughout the study contributed input and conducted interviews around the world, were given a unique opportunity to present their findings to Commission, Council, and Parliament officials and have in depth discussions and debates.

A set of recommendations on Economic, Political, Security and Socio-Cultural issues illustrating the findings of an objective assessment of EU policies towards East Asia, as well as the implementation and effectiveness of these policies, were presented and discussed in depth.

The Workshop's output and conclusions that were drawn from discussions will serve to help shape the Final Report and Recommendations to be submitted to the EU Commission on 22 July 2005.

Introduction
Brainstorming Workshop
Workshop Participants
Workshop Programme