The 46th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting and related meetings were held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from August 23 to 28, 2014. During said meetings Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, Executive Director of ERIA, economists and senior staff members of ERIA were in attendance.

The 46 th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting was held on August 25, 2014, with Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, Executive Director of ERIA, making a presentation on ERIA's AEC Scorecard Phase 4 Study titled "AEC 2015 and Beyond: Progress, Challenges, Way Forward towards ASEAN's LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT". AEC Scorecard Phase 4 focuses on trade facilitation, services and investment liberalization, non-tariff measures, and mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) on professional services and on Standards and Conformance. This study analyzes the progresses of and challenges in the implementation of these AEC measures and thus propose the way forward for the post-2015 AEC. At this meeting, ERIA presented the result on trade facilitation, services and investment liberalization, and NTMs.

The 6th Mekong-Japan Economic Ministers Meeting was held on August 27, 2014. For this meeting, Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura presented an "Outline of Industrial Cluster Research for Mekong Industrial Development Vision" wherein he highlighted the importance of focusing on the association between the development of production networks and industrial upgrading. Professor Nishimura also showed the result of ERIA's research project with the use of the IDE /ERIA Geographical Simulation Model (GSM) that gave a visual picture of the future perspectives of industrial agglomeration and simulation of the impact of East Asian economic integration initiatives on the geographical distribution of manufacturing activities in the Mekong sub-region. The Ministers thanked Prof. Nishimura for his presentation and for bringing attention to this important issue.

The 2nd East Asia Summit (EAS) Economic Ministers Meeting was held on August 27, 2014 where Prof. Nishimura presented to the EAS ministers ERIA's activities and industrial cluster policy which was tasked out by the 8 th EAS in November 2013. During the meeting, copies of ERIA's annual report for FY 2013, information brochure and latest publication titled ASEAN Rising: ASEAN and AEC Beyond 2015 were distributed.Prof. Nishimura expressed his deepest gratitude, on behalf of ERIA, to all the Ministers for their continued support and briefed them on ERIA's major research projects such as the AEC Scorecard Phase 4, regulatory coherence, PPP, and the progress of the CADP. ERIA's works and efforts with various international frameworks such as the International Energy Agency (IEA), WTO and OECD were also presented. ?The Ministers in turn thanked Prof. Nishimura and extended their appreciation for his presentation.

Joint Media Statement of the 46th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting on 25th August

Implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint

9. The Ministers also noted that some of the remaining measures will have strong bearing on the impact of the AEC 2015 and resolved to make greater efforts to ensure expeditious implementation of the pending measures in the key deliverables and the ASEAN Blueprint. The Ministers thanked ERIA for its work on the AEC Scorecard Phase 4 Study which highlighted some remaining work on customs, services and investment.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

30. The Ministers re-affirmed the importance of the small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) role in ASEAN community building and their important contribution towards supporting growth, providing jobs and in contributing to creativity and innovation. They agreed on the need for the SME Working Group to enhance efforts to promote the value of the AEC and to prepare ASEAN SMEs to be more competitive so as to ensure that they can reap benefits, harness new opportunities and address new challenges from the AEC. They welcomed the progress on the various SME initiatives, particularly those relating to access to finance and markets. The Ministers tasked the SME Working Group to intensify efforts to identify early harvest initiatives from the SME Policy Index Study for implementation by 2015, as well as expeditiously complete the remaining initiatives in the SME Strategic Action Plan 2010-2015.

Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building

45. Technical assistance and capacity building remains a cornerstone in supporting ASEAN integration efforts. The Ministers expressed appreciation for the efforts and assistance rendered by ASEAN's dialogue partners and other external parties in providing the necessary resources to help ASEAN in its integration effort. They include the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Programme Phase II, ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU (EU-ARISE), the EU-ASEAN Capacity Building Programme for Monitoring Integration Progress and Statistics (EU-ASEAN COMPASS), the US ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) projects as implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft f�r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the support provided by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

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Joint Media Stratement 46th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting

Joint Media Statement of 6 th Mekong Japan Economic Ministers Meeting on 27th August

1. The 6th Mekong-Japan Economic Ministers Meeting was held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 27th August 2014. The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dr. Kan Zaw, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar, and H.E. Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan and attended by Economic Ministers and representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as the Secretary-General of ASEAN. Business representatives of 7 th Mekong-Japan Industry andGovernment Dialogue and the Executive Director of ERIA also attended.

7. The Ministers welcomed the presentation from WEC- WG's Co-chairs on WEC-WG's deliberation of "Mekong Industry Development Vision", and together emphasized theimportance of this Vision. The Ministers also welcomed ERIA's draft concept on the industrial cluster research which will be one of the core elements and theoretical backbone ofthe Vision, and endorsed its basic concept and framework.

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Joint Media Statement 6th Mekong Japan Economic Ministers Meeting

Joint Media Statement of 2nd EAS Economic Ministers Meeting on 27 th August

Updates on Regional and Global Economic Developments

7. The Ministers noted that open markets for trade and investment, strong IPR policies, particularly for innovative industries, that foster economy?wide growth, facilitation ofcross?border businesses, better understanding of industrial policies, and access to regional and global value chains together with improvement of physical infrastructure and 'soft infrastructure' such as regulatory coherence play an important role in the formation and success of business connectivity. ERIA's industrial cluster research can be useful as anacademic base for identifying best practices and informing regional economic development incooperation with other initiatives.

Updates on ERIA's Activities

11. The Ministers welcomed the updates provided by ERIA including its studies on industrial cluster policy, regulatory coherence jointly with the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, energy such as on clean coal technologies, SME development, disaster management, revision of the "Comprehensive Asia Development Plan", establishment of PPPGuidelines, and its proposals for ASEAN post?2015 and support for regional economic integration initiatives. The Ministers thanked ERIA for its support and looked forward to its continued contribution to the region's integration efforts. The Ministers encouraged EAS Member States to engage ERIA for its research needs.

12. The Ministers welcomed the statement of ERIA's 7 th Governing Board Meeting issuedon 30 May 2014, which puts emphasis on achieving unity, peace and prosperity in the East Asia region through connectivity, inclusiveness and cooperation.

13. The Ministers appreciated contributions from ASEAN Member States, India, Japan and New Zealand to ERIA.

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Joint Media Statement 2nd EAS Economic Ministers Meeting