A WORLD OF REGIONS

REGIONS
qA group of countries located in the
same geographically specified
area.
qAn amalgamation of two regions
[or] a combination of more than
two regions organized to regulate
and oversee flows and policy
choices.
REGIONALIZATION
q Regional concentration of economic
flows.
q Itrepresents a world that becomes
less interconnected, with a stronger
regional focus.
q Itis simply the natural tendency to
form regions, or the process of forming
regions due to similarities between
states in a given geographical space.
REGIONALISM
q Political
process characterized by
economic policy cooperation and
coordination among countries.
q Itis the expression of a common sense
of identity and purpose combined with
the creation and implementation of
institutions that express a particular
identity and shape collective action
within a geographical region.
EUROPEAN UNION
q The European Union is a group of 28 countries that operates as a cohesive
economic and political block. Nineteen of the countries use the euro as their
official currency. The EU grew out of a desire to form a single European
political entity to end the centuries of warfare among European countries
that culminated with World War II and decimated much of the continent. The
European Single Market was established by 12 countries in 1993 to ensure
the so-called four freedoms: the movement of goods, services, people and
money.
q The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on
November 1, 1993. The treaty was designed to enhance European political
and economic integration by creating a single currency (the euro), a unified
foreign and security policy, and common citizenship rights and by
advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial
affairs. The EU was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012, in
recognition of the organization’s efforts to promote peace and democracy in
Europe.
EU Member
States
Italy
Belgium Latvia
Bulgaria Lithuania
Croatia Luxembourg
Cyprus Malta
Czech Republic Netherlands
Denmark Poland
Estonia Portugal
Finland Romania
France Slovakia
Germany Slovenia
Greece Spain
Hungary Sweden
Ireland United Kingdom
ASEAN
qIt is a regional intergovernmental organization
comprising ten Southeast Asian countries that
promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates
economic, political, security, military, educational, and
sociocultural integration amongst its members and
other Asian states. It also regularly engages other
states in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Being a
global powerhouse, the central platform for cooperation
in Asia-Pacific, and one of the world's most prominent
and influential organisations, ASEAN maintains a
global network of alliances and is involved in
numerous international affairs.
qThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was
established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the
signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the
Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
qBrunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on
28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and
Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten
Member States of ASEAN.
qApart from economic and political growth it also focuses on social
progress, social-cultural evolution among member countries, and
provision of mechanisms and strategies to resolve differences
peacefully.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
In their relations with one another, the ASEAN Member States have adopted the following
fundamental principles, as contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast
Asia (TAC) of 1976:

q Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations;

q Theright of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,
subversion or coercion;

q Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;

q Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;

q Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and

q Effective cooperation among themselves.

ASEAN
Member States
q Brunei Darussalam
q Cambodia
q Indonesia
q Laos
q Malaysia
q Myanmar (Burma)
q Philippines
q Singapore
q Thailand
q Vietnam
• It is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that
promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It
was established in 1989 in response to the growing
interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the
advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world;
to defuse fears that highly industrialised Japan (a member
of G7) would come to dominate economic activity in the
Asia-Pacific region; and to establish new markets for
agricultural products and raw materials beyond Europe.
APEC Member States
q Australia q New Zealand

q Brunei Darussalam q Papua New Guinea

q Canada q Peru

q Chile q Philippines

q People's Republic of China q Russia

q Hong Kong, China q Singapore

q Indonesia q Chinese Taipei

q Japan q Thailand

q Republic of Korea q United States of America

q Malaysia q Viet Nam

q Mexico