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ASEAN Leaders Sign E-ASEAN Framework Agreement
The Fourth ASEAN Informal Summit achieved its first concrete result Friday morning with the signing of the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement which aims to enhance information and communications technology (ICT) of ASEAN and develop ASEAN's competence to compete in the world market.
The ASEAN leaders signed the pact both with their handwritten and digital signatures and the document testifies to their commitment to promoting liberalization of trade of ICT products, services and investments, enhancing cooperation in developing ICT within ASEAN and reducing the digital divide within individual ASEAN member states as well as among ASEAN member states for the purpose of enhancing competence within ASEAN to compete in the world ICT market.
Under the agreement, ASEAN member states shall eliminate duties and non-tariff barriers on intra-ASEAN trade in ASEAN ICT products in three tranches. These tranches are mandated to take effect on January 1 of 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. For Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, the agreement allows the three tranches of theirs to take effect five years later respectively.
In the agreement, the ICT leading member states have committed themselves to helping others in developing ICT capabilities.
The pact also says that member states would work to establish high-speed Internet connection and make electronic commerce effective for consumers.
The agreement also urges member states to pass legislation making digital signature -- the computer-stored image -- a real signature as legally binding as pen and paper.
At the Sixth ASEAN Summit held in Vietnam in December 1998, the ASEAN leaders agreed to the Hanoi Plan of Action including the development of an ASEAN information infrastructure to enhance the connectivity and compatibility of ASEAN and a working group on the ASEAN information infrastructure was formed to recommend ways to link the various systems in ASEAN countries. In 1999 a task force set up by the ASEAN economic ministers developed a comprehensive action plan called the e-ASEAN initiative.
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