Regional integration seen providing trade safeguards

ASEAN is advancing regional digital integration while establishing a framework for more secure cross-border trade, as member states seek to strengthen market access, supply chains and the region’s appeal to investors.

Economic ministers meeting in Manila endorsed key outcomes of the Philippines’ 2026 Priority Economic Deliverables, including the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), according to the Philippine Information Agency.

The initiatives were discussed at the 28th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit, with officials focusing on economic connectivity, digital transformation and policies to expand markets and create jobs.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the region must ensure that its economic commitments translate into tangible benefits for businesses, workers and consumers.

“The real measure of this plan will not be the number of commitments we make, but the value they add to every business, consumer, worker, and community,” Roque said.

Alongside the digital agenda, ASEAN leaders adopted a declaration on strategic trade management aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of regional supply chains while maintaining trade facilitation.

The declaration recognizes the need to protect high-value export industries from trade disruptions and compliance risks, and to strengthen cooperation in managing trade involving dual-use goods, which have both civilian and military applications.

The agreement calls for greater information-sharing among member states, subject to domestic laws, as well as technical assistance and capacity-building to help countries develop their own strategic trade management systems.

It also provides for the creation of an ASEAN Expert Group on Strategic Trade Management under the ASEAN Economic Community. The group will serve as a platform for technical discussions, the exchange of best practices and the development of a regional roadmap.

The proposed group will also engage businesses and other private-sector stakeholders on compliance and supply-chain security, while monitoring developments that could affect regional economic integration and competitiveness.

ASEAN said a coordinated approach to trade management could reinforce the region’s standing as a reliable trade and investment partner, while keeping regulations transparent and proportionate to avoid unnecessarily restricting economic activity.