This paper outlines the nature and scope of the Association of South East Asian Nations’
(ASEAN) democracy agenda as embodied in the ASEAN Security Community Plan
of Action (ASCPA), and examines the extent to which ASEAN member states will be
able to implement the measures outlined in order to build democracy in the region. It
examines whether there is an opportunity for the EU to play a greater role in providing
assistance to ASEAN; and the areas, within the ASCPA framework, in which the EU
would have a significant impact. How should the EU’s assistance to, and its participation
in, the process of democracy building in South East Asia be formulated, using which