Achieving The ASEAN Economic Community 2015: Challenges For Member Countries And Businesses

ASEAN leaders aimed to create an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. Achieving this target requires cooperation and coordination among the ten ASEAN economies. With varying attitudes towards liberalization and ongoing protectionism in some sectors, significant domestic reforms, infrastructure improvements, and capacity building are needed. Businesses play a crucial role in the region's integration, and policymakers must engage the private sector actively. Focusing on core elements of integration and implementing them swiftly could facilitate progress, with remaining processes following the AEC Blueprint beyond 2015. This book assesses the readiness of member countries for regional integration, discusses challenges faced by ASEAN businesses, and offers policy recommendations to address these issues.