Asymmetries in the ASEM process soon became apparent. The Europeans participated 'in it as the European Union. Non-EU members, like Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, were not to take part, and countries that subsequently joined the union would automatically attend ASEM. The President of the European Commission was also in attendance. On the other hand, the East Asian side took part in ASEM as individual countries. The ASEAN Secretary General was not invited to the meetings. Until 2004, the Europeans were able to block the countries that joined ASEAN after 1996 - Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia form admission into ASEM clearly on account of same EU members' objections to Myanmar. Another asymmetry had to do with representation. Whereas the East Asians were almost always 100 percent represented at the leaders' meetings, the extent of European participation at the highest level varied from year to year.