AADCP NEWS No.10, May 2006
Page 1: AADCP News
In this Edition:
7th Joint Selection and Review Panel meeting Australian Government White Paper
ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) ASEAN Trade Statistics Workshop
Aquatic Animal Health Project Ten Years of AFAS: An Assessment AADCP Events: June – September 2006
JOINT PLANNING COMMITTEE ADDRESSES NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
The ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program (AADCP) Joint Planning Committee (JPC) meets annually to discuss strategic developments in the Australian and ASEAN context and review AADCP’s contribution to ASEAN-Australian goals. The past year’s valuable advances in ASEAN-Australian relations were discussed at the JPC’s 4th meeting held in Sydney, Australia on 1-2 May 2006.
Australia hosted the meeting which was co-chaired by Viet Nam, as Country Coordinator of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations. Delegates included representatives of the Australian, Vietnamese and Thai Governments, the ASEAN Secretariat, and AADCP Managing Contractors.
Australian Co-Chair Mr Peter Callan, Assistant Director General, Asia Regional Branch, AusAID noted that it had been a memorable year in Australia’s relations with ASEAN, with highlights including the successful East Asian Summit held December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, progress in negotiation of an ASEAN Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, and the announcement of four new aid initiatives totalling A$10.5 million to strengthen Australia’s development partnership with ASEAN.
ASEAN Co-Chair H.E. Mr Nguyen Duy Hung, Director-General of ASEAN Viet Nam, noted that ASEAN was stepping up its implementation of the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) priorities and that the recent Leaders Meeting in Kuala Lumpur had committed to accelerating the process of building the ASEAN Community by 2015 rather than 2020. He confirmed that narrowing the development gap was an important objective for ASEAN and said that the Initiative for ASEAN Integration was being broadened to also cover poverty reduction, energy, tourism and some other sectors.
The ASEAN Secretariat briefed the meeting on progress to date in the implementation of the VAP and the development of an ASEAN Charter which would give ASEAN legal status. The meeting received brief updates on the progress of AADCP’s three components: Program Stream (PS); Regional Partnerships Scheme (RPS); and the Regional Economic Policy Support Facility (REPSF) and their linkages to VAP priorities. Reports noted that between them, the three AADCP streams had 28 active projects. AADCP project activities were fostering greater integration and alignment within ASEAN in a range of technical areas, and technical advancement against international benchmarks.
Page 2: Regional Partnerships Scheme News
8TH JOINT SELECTION AND REVIEW PANEL MEETING
The 8th Joint Selection and Review Panel (JSRP) meeting was held in Sydney, Australia on 3 May 2006. Co-chaired by Mr Peter Callan, AusAID, and Mr Dhannan Sunoto, ASEAN Secretariat, the meeting discussed the progress of the Regional Partnerships Scheme and reviewed two project proposals for the eighth RPS funding round. The meeting noted that the portfolio of 12 active projects was progressing well, building both partnerships between Australia and ASEAN and technical capacity in a number of sectors.
The JSRP approved funding for one new project - the Competency Standards for Tourism – Preparation Phase Project. This is a successor project to the recently completed Development of ASEAN Common Curriculum on Tourism Project.
The JSRP approved funding for an additional activity under the Advanced Training in Intellectual Property Search and Examination Procedures for IP Offices in the ASEAN Region Project. A training program on advanced skills for designs search and examination will be conducted. The concept paper pipeline for the ninth RPS funding round was reviewed. Twenty-one concept paper ideas aligned with the Vientiane Action Programme economic community pillar, socio-cultural community pillar and narrowing the development gap theme were discussed.
ASEAN TRADE STATISTICS WORKSHOP HELD
In late March 2006, the Statistical Capacity Building for Harmonisation of ASEAN International Trade in Goods and Services Project held an ASEAN International Merchandise Trade Statistics Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand. In the lead-up to the workshop, meetings were held in Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR to support development of national work plans in trade in goods and services statistics. Project partners are Prime Deal Pty Ltd and ASEC. The project plan has been endorsed by the ASEAN Heads of Statistical Offices Meeting.
Representatives from all ASEAN member countries attended the March workshop. Participants were predominantly from National Statistical Offices and Customs authorities involved in the compilation of merchandise trade statistics.
Each country reported on the status of their statistics, and their work plans to undertake necessary improvements. ASEC discussed issues with national data supplied for regional analysis. Papers were presented on regional perspectives of data requirements, customs initiatives, alignment with international and regional standards, data quality issues, and necessary statistical infrastructure.
Workshop outcomes will shape the ASEAN International Merchandise Trade Statistics Work Plan. A taskforce will implement improvements. Upcoming project activities focus on national work plans for statistics on international trade in services, which will culminate in an ASEAN Workshop on Statistics in International Trade in Services in early September 2006.
Further information can be obtained from Project Manager Mr John Billing: johnbilling@alphalink.com.au
SUCCESSFUL START FOR AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH PROJECT
In early April 2006, the Network of Aquaculture Centres for Asia and the Pacific (NACA) and AusVet Animal Health Services held the Strengthening Aquatic Animal Health Capacity and Biosecurity in ASEAN Project’s first policy review and development workshop.
Working groups addressed technical and policy improvements required as a first step towards an agreed Action Plan for developing harmonised guidelines on aquatic animal health management and biosecurity for ASEAN. NACA’s Aquatic Animal Health Specialist, Dr CV Mohan, newly seconded project officer, Dr Agus Irianto, and the NACA team managed preparations for the workshop.
The most recent project activity was a training course in epidemiology, surveillance and risk analysis held in Singapore from 7-13 May, 2006. This will be followed by technical missions to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam later in the year.
Page 3: Program Stream News
PROGRAM STREAM NEWS
IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY WITHIN ASEAN
The A$1.5m Strengthening ASEAN Risk Assessment Capability to Support Food Safety Measures Project, is being implemented by Australian Marine Science and Technology Ltd (AMSAT) with technical support from Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and coordination support by the ASEAN Expert Group on Food Safety in conjunction with the ASEAN Subcommittee on Food Science and Technology and the ASEAN Food Safety Network.
Practical case studies, technical workshops and networking support improve the capacity of ASEAN member countries to plan and conduct risk assessments on food safety hazards. This is a growing area of importance for all ASEAN nations due to rapid changes in food technology and the expansion of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules-based free trade system. Member countries must be able to assess new and existing products and make decisions about the safety of both imports and exports.
The project commenced in November 2005 with an inception and planning phase and in March 2006, a technical review and planning workshop was held to initiate the Microbiological Risk Assessment component of the project.
Twenty participants commenced a nine month program of mentored practical skills development in risk assessment. Initial activities included regional risk assessments on pathogens affecting seafood, cooked rice and poultry. The Chemical Risk Assessment component was launched in Hanoi in May 2006.
ASEAN-AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND (AANZ) FTA NEGOTIATIONS SUPPORTED
A key objective of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of officials to participate effectively in negotiations on IP in the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA. Workshop topics included: IP and development; international IP agreements; technical cooperation and capacity building; IP and the digital economy; and industrial property – international application systems.
Formal sessions were complemented by discussion and an open exchange of views that addressed relevant issues for representatives of ASEAN economies, Australia and New Zealand.
Case studies presented by ASEAN countries, Australia and New Zealand provided participants with an understanding of some of the key issues relevant to the AANZ FTA negotiations. These included accession to international treaties on IP such as the Trademark Law Treaty, the Patent Law Treaty, the Madrid Protocol and the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
STRENGTHENING STANDARDS IN ASEAN
The Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems Project, managed by PDP Australia Pty Ltd in partnership with the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand, has been redesigned to increase the impact of the project and maximise benefits and outcomes for ASEAN member countries.
The forward program is now more responsive to ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) priorities. It is implementing initiatives to assist remote mentoring and better aligns with the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) and other planned activities.
The forward program will:
Increase and focus training in Good Regulatory Practice (GRP) for key priority
sectors, particularly regarding the use of risk assessment and risk management in regulation, improved ACCSQ Working Group industry linkages, and GRP priority sector toolkits;
Streamline training in standards development and internationalisation;
Enhance training in conformity assessment practices to reflect newly introduced
International Standards Organisation/International Electrotechnical Commission guides and better link training theory to system development to provide internationally recognised accreditation services.
Page 4: Regional Economic Policy Support Facility
News
7TH RESEARCH PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING
The REPSF 7th Research Priorities Committee (RPC) meeting was held in Jakarta on 28 March 2006. The meeting was chaired by ASEAN Secretary General, Mr Ong Keng Yong, and co-chaired by Mr Peter Callan, AusAID. Mr Nurdin Hamid from the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia represented the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting.
The RPC approved two projects. The first project, An Investigation into the Measures Affecting the Integration of ASEAN’s Priority Sectors Phase 2 (06/001) will study barriers to economic integration and produce case studies on the following areas: air travel and tourism; textiles and apparel; and electronics. Given the broad scope of the project, it will be implemented in phases and involve significant input from ASEAN-based researchers. The second project was An Impact Assessment of the Visit ASEAN Campaign (06/002). The approval of these two projects concludes REPSF’s current research program and funding. The full list of REPSF’s endorsed research program, and reports approved for release, can be found at www.aadcp-repsf.org
The RPC also discussed possible future directions for REPSF, particularly with reference to the economic relationships of ASEAN +6 member countries (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand).
A design mission comprising Australian and ASEC team members will explore options for an expanded program of research, dissemination and outreach activities. The research focus will include topics on economic integration between ASEAN and its “+6” dialogue partners and will ensure that ASEAN member countries and ASEAN can successfully deal with competitive pressures from the “+6” dialogue partners. All agreed that the future would build on successful modalities achieved to date.
TEN YEARS OF AFAS: AN ASSESSMENT
As part of the REPSF program, PDP Australia Pty Ltd (PDP) recently undertook a research study on Ten Years of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS): An Assessment (Project 05/004). The project assessed the extent to which regional liberalisation of services trade had progressed in the last decade, considered difficulties encountered in services liberalisation on both the domestic and multilateral fronts, and examined how ASEAN should evaluate its performance at the regional level.
The consultants presented their findings to the 45th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Services (CCS) in Yangon, Myanmar, on 17 February 2006. They highlighted that, when assessed across all countries, ASEAN member countries have managed to make liberalisation commitments in 50 per cent more services sectors under AFAS than they had done under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). In aggregate, services trade within ASEAN was about 10 per cent less restrictive than it was between ASEAN Member Countries and the rest of the world.
The project made several key strategic recommendations to:
Develop ASEAN Member Country (AMC) Action plans and associated
monitoring tools (e.g. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation peer review model);
Target all sectors for AFAS liberalisation that AMCs have not made
commitments on under the GATS;
Prioritise the finalisation of MRAs; Establish timelines for deeper integration (e.g.
abolition of ceiling bindings);
Implement firmer provisions on transparency and predictability; and Improve AFAS-wide transparency.
A simplified Assessment Framework (AF) was developed, for future monitoring and evaluation of progress under AFAS, as the region moves towards the free flow of services by 2015.
Page 5: AADCP Profile
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER AIMS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE AID
In April 2006 the Australian Government released a White Paper on Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability, which sets out a 10-year plan for maximising the effectiveness of Australian aid. The Paper provides an account of how the Australian Government will approach the doubling ofAustralia’s overseas aid budget to aroundA$4 billion by 2010. The Australian aid program will principally target poverty reduction, sustainable development and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. It will be directed mainly to Asia and the Pacific, reflectingAustralia’s strong commitment to a stableand prosperous region.
Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Alexander Downer MP, said that “delivering Australia’s aid program will be built on partnerships”. Aid would “reach out to the region and promote closer ties between Australia and its neighbours”.
Some of the White Paper’s strategic themes fit closely with the goals of ASEAN’s Vientiane Action Programme (VAP). The White Paper notes that broadly spread, sustainable economic growth is the single most important objective for our region, and argues that the momentum of export-led growth needs to be maintained but its benefits expanded to cover poorer countries and areas. It explores preconditions for narrowing the development gap and flags the importance of trade liberalisation.
The White Paper also highlights regional stability and cooperation. It recognises the value of regional networks such as ASEAN for overcoming constraints to growth and addressing trans-boundary threats. It confirms the benefits of regional integration to boost trade and growth and the value of pooling resources for regional cooperation.
Further details are available on the AusAID website: www.ausaid.gov.au
AUSTRALIA’S 2006-07 OVERSEAS AID BUDGET SUPPORTS NEW INITIATIVES
On 9 May 2006, the Australian Government announced its Budget for the coming financial year. Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Alexander Downer MP, announced A$2.946 billion had been allocated for Official Development Assistance (ODA), a nine per cent increase over expected aid expenditure in 2005-06 in line with the Government’s goal of doubling aid by 2010.
This year Australia will start implementing the recommendations of the Government’s recent White Paper, Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability. These include some major initiatives, such as “infrastructure for growth”, establishment of the Australia-Pacific Technical College, development of performance incentives for partner countries, and strategies for delivering better health and education.
The Budget also introduces Australian Scholarships, an enhanced award program combining the existing scholarship programs of AusAID and the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training. Recognising the value of scholarships in building knowledge and people-to-people understanding, the Australian Government has pledged nearly A$1.4 billion for more than 19,000 awards over the next five years. Australian Scholarships will include a new category, Australian Leadership Awards, focused on developing future leaders in the Asia-Pacific region. More than 3,000 of these postgraduate and fellowship awards will be offered.
The Budget maintains Australia’s aid focus on neighbouring countries of Asia and the Pacific. In East Asia, Australian aid will assist in accelerating economic growth, promoting regional integration and managing transnational threats through regional channels such as ASEAN and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Australia will support the Asian Development Bank’s Greater Mekong Sub-region Initiative and give continued high priority to bilateral partnerships with Indonesia, Viet Nam and the Philippines.
Funding for ASEAN will meet Australia’s agreed commitments, including the additional A$10.5 million package announced by Mr Downer in December 2005 to support the East Asia Summit’s trade and economic cooperation goals.
Page 6: AADCP Events
June 2006
2nd - 10th: Audit and Verification Workshop, for the PS Project Quality Assurance
and Safety of Fish and Fishery Products Handling, Processing and Packaging, location to be confirmed
5th – 7th: National Work Plan Workshop, for the RPS Project Statistical Capacity
Building For Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade In Goods and Services Indicators, Malaysia
7th - 8th: Regional CLMVT, for the PS Project Enhancing Skills Recognition Systems
in ASEAN, Thailand
12th - 14th: Indonesia Refresher Training Workshop, for the PS Project Enhanced
Customs Capacity Building in ASEAN, Indonesia
14th - 16th Disease Surveillance Evaluation Workshop, for the PS Project
Strengthening Animal Health Management and Biosecurity in ASEAN, Viet Nam
15th: Meeting to discuss CLMV Valuation Workshops, for the PS Project Enhanced
Customs Capacity Building in ASEAN, Indonesia
19th – 21st: Handover Workshop, for the PS Project Strengthening Animal Health
Management and Biosecurity in ASEAN, Singapore
19th – 23rd: National Work Plan Workshop, for the RPS Project Statistical Capacity
Building For Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade In Goods and Services Indicators, Philippines
26th – 30th: National Work Plan Workshop, for the RPS Project Statistical Capacity
Building For Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade In Goods and Services Indicators, Thailand
30th – 31st: Workshop on Good Regulatory Practice (GRP) Prepared Foodstuffs, for
the PS Project Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
July 2006
1st: Consultancy Visit to Regional Reference Laboratory Pak Chong, for the RPS
3rd - 7th: Cargo Processing Model Workshop, for the PS Project Enhanced Customs
Capacity Building in ASEAN, Philippines
3rd - 7th: In-country Assistance, for the RPS Project Strengthening Aquatic Animal
Health Capacity and Biosecurity, Cambodia
12th - 17th: In-country Assistance, for the RPS Project Strengthening Aquatic Animal
Health Capacity and Biosecurity, Lao PDR
24th: Workshop No. 1, for the REPSF Project An Investigation into the Measures
Affecting the Integration of ASEAN’s Priority Sectors, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: National Work Plan Workshop, for the RPS Project Statistical
Capacity Building For Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade In Goods and Services Indicators, Brunei Darussalam
Dates to be confirmed: National Work Plan Workshop, for the RPS Project Statistical
Capacity Building For Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade In Goods and Services Indicators, Singapore
Dates to be confirmed: Chemical Progress Workshop, for the PS Project
Strengthening ASEAN Risk Assessment Capability to Support Food Safety Measures, various locations
Dates to be confirmed: Workshop on GRP Electronics, for the PS Project
Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: Workshop on ISO/IE Standards, for the PS Project
Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: Taxonomy Workshop No 1, for the PS Project Strengthening
ASEAN Plant Health Capacity, location to be confirmed
July – August (Dates to be confirmed): Designs Examination Training for ASEAN IP
Office Personnel, for the RPS Project Advanced Training in Intellectual Property Search and Examination Procedures for IP Offices in the ASEAN Region, various locations
July - November: Food Safety Training of Farmer Groups by Local Trainers
(CLMV), for the PS Project Quality Assurance Systems for ASEAN Fruit and Vegetables, various locations
August 2006
Dates to be confirmed: Review Workshop on National Development Standards, for
the PS Project Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: Network/Directory Development Food, for the PS Project
Strengthening ASEAN Risk Assessment Capability to Support Food Safety Measures, location to be confirmed
September 2006
11th - 15th: Work Group Leaders Meeting, for the RPS Project Operationalise Guidelines on Responsible Movement of Live Food Finfish, Malaysia
16th: Project Coordinating Group Meeting, for the PS Project Enhanced Customs Capacity Building in ASEAN, Malaysia
Dates to be confirmed: Training Visit to the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, for the RPS Project Establishment of a Reference Laboratory for the Southeast Asian Foot and Mouth Disease Control Program, Australia
Dates to be confirmed: Regional Workshops, for the RPS Project Statistical Capacity Building for Harmonization of ASEAN International Trade in Goods and Services Indicators, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: Workshop, for the PS Project Legal Infrastructure for E-Commerce in ASEAN, Brunei Darussalam
Dates to be confirmed: Post-Harvest 2 and SPS Requirements for Exports, for the PS Project Quality Assurance Systems for ASEAN Fruit and Vegetables, Philippines Dates to be confirmed: ISO/IEC 17011 and Guide 65 Certification, for the PS Project
Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
Dates to be confirmed: ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratory Certification, for the PS Project Strengthening ASEAN Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems, location to be confirmed
Event details are subject to change. Please refer to the Diary Dates section of our website for up to date information: www.aadcp.org/event
CONTACTS
Regional Partnerships Scheme (RPS)
Maria Eloida Cruz Balamiento Project Coordinator
The ASEAN Secretariat, Second Floor 70A Jl. Sisingamangaraja
Jakarta 12110 INDONESIA
Tel +62 21 724 3372, 726 2991 (ext 150) Fax +62 21 7278 7252
Jakarta 12110 INDONESIA
Tel +62 21 724 3372, 726 2991 (ext. 152) Fax +62 21 7278 7252
Jakarta 12110 INDONESIA
