The paper examines the state of investment liberalization and facilitation in the Philippines and suggests policy measures to enable the country to comply with its AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) commitments. Summary: Based on interviews and surveys; the results indicated that investment incentives, low tax rates and time/cost of starting a business are critical factors affecting...

The violent border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia earlier this year have challenged the Association of South East Asian Nations to turn its rhetoric into action, but more robust diplomacy is required to end a still unresolved conflict. Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia that caused dozens of casualties and displaced thousands have challenged the...

This report presents 14 indicators on the progress of the ASEAN countries towards the goals of the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Where relevant, the report highlights changes in convergence and disparities over time, which are useful in analyzing progress in narrowing the development gap. This monitoring brief, which is an abridged...

The ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold summit meetings in Vientiane, Laos on 29-30 November 2004. The summit will include discussions with leaders of Japan, China and the Republic of Korea (as a part of the 'ASEAN Plus Three' process) and also India. ASEAN leaders will also host a...

The detailed integrated National Phytosanitary Database system (NPD) was developed to provide an enabling tool for managers. The review’s field mission was able to witness the NPD being used, but only for a fraction of its functionality.