Finnish Delegation to the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting

The goal of the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) Meeting is to promote cooperation between parliaments in Europe and Asia and to give parliamentarians an opportunity to influence the ASEM process. ASEP Meetings are held biennially and alternate between Asia and Europe. Finland hosted the meeting in 2006 when it held the presidency of the EU. In 2014 Italy will serve as host.

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was established in 1996 to strengthen dialogue between the two continents. Cooperation takes place in three areas: the political, economic, and cultural and social pillars. The heads of state and government approve guidelines for cooperation at biennial summits.

ASEP is the parliamentary dimension of the Asia-Europe Meeting and assembles parliamentarians from the ASEM countries and the European Parliament. The organisation currently has 50 member parliaments: the EU member states and the EP, 16 Asian countries, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.

The task of the Finnish ASEP delegation is to monitor the national implementation of ASEP declarations and present initiatives to improve cooperation between Asia and Europe. The delegation also participates actively in preparing the next meeting and declaration.