Das Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) – Akteur einer internationalen Ordnungspolitik?

Abstract

On 11 September 2006 the leaders of 38 Asian and European countries and the President of the European Commission concluded the ASEM 6 summit in Helsinki. The ASEM-Process, initiated in 1996, has often been criticised for not achieving its full agenda-setting potential in global negations in the issue-areas of trade and finance. Despite these shortcomings, the Asia-Europe Meeting seeks to brush up on its meagre contribution to global discourses by setting up a virtual secretariat as a means to mould common positions. A case in point is the Declaration on Climate Change, which is a clear indication of an improved multilateral utility of ASEM. Yet, informality and frequent clashes of European and Asian conceptions of cooperation weaken the potential negotiation power of the Asia-Europe Meeting.