Support for border town development along major economic corridors of Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) through value chain development, creation of business development centers, and identification of investment opportunities.

The objective of this study is to provide a preliminary analysis on a range of CET options that could be adopted by ASEAN and to quantitatively assess their implications for each ASEAN member state and the region as a whole. The results of the study are intended to assist the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN member states in considering options under deliberations by the CCCA, which will eventually be presented to the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) for its deliberation on the application of a CET as a long term objective of economic integration in ASEAN.

We compare the welfare effects of ASEAN FTAs relative to pre-CET and post-CET rates. While the static effects are unlikely to be large since, in the end, the final trade-weighted average tariff is the same, the dynamic effects could be significant and give rise to questions about revenue compensations prior to joining new FTAs. The welfare effects of the two sequencing paths can vary considerably. Implementation of a customs union and an FTA can also move forward simultaneously since the implementation of a customs union may be phased and FTA negotiations initiated during that time. In those cases, the existence of customs union commitments by the ASEAN member states can be considered as preceding the FTA, even though the customs union commitments are not fully implemented.

The evaluation assesses Multilateral Trade Assistance Projects (Multrap) in Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and derives lessons learned and recommendations for more effective future technical assistance operations. In early 2003 the European Commission (EC) signed financial agreements with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the Government of Lao (GOL) to undertake Multrap projects in those countries, and it selected GTZ International Services to carry out the provisions of the projects through the Ministries of Commerce of the respective countries beginning in January 2004. The combined budget for the two Multrap projects was €2,872,528, with about two-thirds of the budget allocated to Cambodia and the remaining one-third to Lao PDR. In Cambodia the overall objective of the project was to assist the country in improving and putting into place conditions for sustaining economic growth, following its accession to the WTO. It was also to provide capacity development and support export diversification and trade facilitation. In Lao PDR the project had two distinct but interlinked areas of activity, those being assistance to the WTO accession process and institutional support to academic and government institutions in international trade issues, particularly as they related to the WTO.

Trade capacity building information system for Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to develop detailed trade database of member countries, including interactive online database in ADB website.

Trade-related poverty analysis quantitatively assessing impact of Cambodia's macroeconomic policies on poverty reduction for sustainable development

Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Sub-regional trade agreement growth area strategy to promote exports and investment-oriented activities in specific geographic regions of each country, covering trade, finance, agro-industry, logistics and transport facilitation in the context of five designated economic corridors