Accordingly, the discussions in this policy brief will be divided into six
sections. While section two offers a general assessment on the existing state of
ASEAN-led FTAs and Southeast Asian MSMEs, the discussion in section three is
focused on the lessons that the ASEAN region can learn from other regions and/or
regional groupings in facilitating their MSMEs to make effective use of their FTAs.
The subsequent section four, furthermore, examines the extent to which ASEAN-led
FTAs have been used by the region’s private sector, particularly MSMEs. In addition
to this section four also discusses the existing initiatives of ASEAN and its AMS, if
any, to promote MSMEs development, on the one hand, and to take advantage of
ASEAN-led FTAs, on the other. Meanwhile, section five examines potential key
challenges and opportunities that are faced by MSMEs in making more effective use
of ASEAN-led FTAs. This policy brief is to be concluded with a section that will
highlight a number of policy and practical recommendations for relevant policymakers
at both ASEAN and AMS levels, as well as other stakeholders.