Press Release: EU-Asia: European Commission adopts new strategy for enhanced partnership

The European Commission adopted a Communication on 4 September 2001 setting out a new strategic framework for the European Union's relations with Asia in the coming decade. Its core objective is to strengthen the EU's presence in Asia, raising it to a level commensurate with the growing global weight of an enlarged Union. To do this, the strategy focuses on six key dimensions: strengthening EU engagement with Asia in the political and security fields, strengthening EU-Asia two-way trade and investment relations in both directions, contributing effectively to reduce poverty in the region, helping promote the spread of democracy, good governance and the rule of law across the region: in turn building global partnerships with key Asian partners (in combating global challenges as well as in international organisations), and promoting further the awareness between the two regions.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/asia/index.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/asia/index.htm

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