The three main pillars of the ASEAN Community are the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Currently, efforts are focused on establishing the AEC.
The AEC Blueprint, adopted by ASEAN leaders in 2007, provides a roadmap and targets to be achieved for the establishment of the AEC by 2015. The AEC envisages the following: (a) a single market and production base, (b) a highly competitive economic region, (c) a region of equitable economic development, and (d) a region fully integrated into the global economy.
However, there are key challenges for ASEAN to overcome. For newer ASEAN members such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, challenges faced include a lack of technical capacity and funding required for implementing AEC measures. Other ASEAN members such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand face challenges in terms of liberalisation and policy reform.
Alongside the AEC, ASEAN is placing emphasis on infrastructure via the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and energy cooperation via plans such as the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline and the ASEAN Power Grid.
SIIA aims to deepen research and understanding into ASEAN 2015 goals and progress, and key issues and challenges which remain. ASEAN Reinvented, a book co-authored by experts from around the region is due to be published in early 2013, looking at key questions regarding the future of ASEAN.