The 1957 Treaties of Rome laid the foundation for the creation of the EU. However, it was
not until the signing of the “Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe” (TCE) that the EU
possessed a legal personality, which means that it is able to represent itself as a single body in
certain circumstances under international law. Most significantly, it is able to sign treaties as a
single body where all its Member States agree. ASEAN’s agreement to draft a charter was
viewed as crucial because it could introduce major changes in how the original association operates,
among them breaking from its tradition of non-interference and mutual respect. The signing
of the Singapore Declaration followed swiftly after the ASEAN countries issued the Cebu Declaration
on the Blueprint of the ASEAN Charter, noting that ASEAN has matured into a regional
organization and is expanding its role as an integrated regional economy and a dynamic force
in maintaining regional peace and stability as envisaged in the Declaration of Bali Concord II
and its plans of action, roadmaps and the ASEAN Vision 2020, which envisions ASEAN as a
concert of Southeast Asia bonded together in a partnership for dynamic development and in a
community of caring societies.17 With the introduction of the new charter, ASEAN plans to accelerate
its integration by putting it on a similar legal footing to the EU, making it more rulesbased.