About The Course
This course will explore interdisciplinary issues on EU-ASEAN law and relations. The EU and ASEAN are the world’s most advanced regional structures and represent different models of integration. Since the 1980s, the evolution of EU-ASEAN relations has provided rich lessons for the multifaceted concept of interregionalism in international law and relations. As ASEAN emerged as a priority on the EU’s Asia policy agenda after the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Commission’s 2015 “Trade for All” strategy articulated an ASEAN strategy based on individual agreements that will lead to a region- to-region framework. The recent conclusion of the EU’s trade and investment agreements with Singapore and Vietnam reinforces this building-block approach for realizing the EU-ASEAN free trade agreement.
Given the changing status of China, the impasse of WTO negotiations, and the COVID-19 pandemic, EU-ASEAN legal frameworks and relations have become more salient on the global stage. In 2020, both blocs elevated their “Dialogue Partnership to a Strategic Partnership,” aiming to enhance economic and security cooperation and sustainable connectivity. In 2021, the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy further emphasized the EU’s engagement with “the ASEAN-led regional architecture,” particularly given the economic and political impact of the CPTPP and the RCEP In this SMU-X Overseas course (under the Overseas Project Experience (Non-Asia) model), students will learn about EU and ASEAN institutions and examine the EU’s new Indo-Pacific strategy from legal and political perspectives. In particular, the course will assess EU-ASEAN economic agreements with a focus on cutting-edge areas of trade and investment liberalization, AI and digital trade, and sustainable development including the protection of environmental and labour rights. Students will also gain hands-on experience by working with lawyers or policymakers to solve real-world issues
Reflection
I am glad to have been part of YPHSL’s first-ever SMU-XO course to Europe. This was a 5-day long trip to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The SMU-XO was a fruitful and engaging one because I had the opportunity to visit various European organizations and better appreciate the intricacies of European law. I visited the European Parliament and had the opportunity to step into the Chambers, where world-first pieces of legislation were passed, such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act in March! It felt surreal to have studied EU-ASEAN law during this course in Singapore, as well as read up about these institutions, to finally being able to be there in person. The experience felt like none other.
I also had the opportunity to visit the European External Action Service (Europe’s equivalent of the MFA), and understood the importance of maintaining strong bilateral relationships between Europe and Singapore, as well as regional relationships between the EU and ASEAN. The visits to these European institutions put to life the theory that was being taught in class, and allowed me to understand how lawmakers and policymakers work hand in hand to ensure that the rule of law is upheld constantly, both locally as well as internationally.
As this was my first trip to Europe, I was excited to step foot into a new environment. The study mission also provided us time to explore the surrounding cities and to do some shopping! Besides Brussels, I visited Maastricht in the Netherlands, as well as Bruges in Belgium, both of which are cities that have beautiful natural scenery. My classmates and I also went around to hunt for chocolates (Belgium chocolates are the best!), and I am glad that I managed to bring home some souvenirs from the trip.
All in all, I had a very meaningful but fun time during this study mission as I learnt a great deal more about the workings and importance of EU-ASEAN law and the relationship between these two regional bodies than I could have learnt in the classroom. I hope that the future generations of law students will also be able to partake in more of such overseas study missions as it is a great opportunity to learn more about how the law works in the real world.
Thank You Notes to Benefactors
I would like to thank my benefactors for their generous contribution to ease my financial burden of this trip. As the trip to Europe is considerably more expensive than the ones to Asia, I was worried about having to bear the full cost of the trip. The award given to me significantly reduced by financial worries and allowed to me focus on the study mission with one less thing to worry about, and for that I am grateful.
