Year 10: Trade: ASEAN members start moves to harmonize policies | BusinessWorld Online Edition

1. What is the goal of this ASEAN meeting? 
The goal of this ASEAN metting was to embark on annual meetings to improve and harmonize trade and investment policies as the bloc pursues an intergrated regional economy by 2015.
2. What is ERIA? What do they intend to do? 
The ERIA is the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia and they intend to draw up plans to review the scorecard for 2015 ASEAN Economic Community to help countries indentify commitments that will deliver the best results towards intergration. 
3. What is AEC? What do they intend to do? 
The AEC is the ASEAN Economic Community and they intend to help countried identify commitments that will deliver the best results towards intergration. 
4. What are the three key areas of focus? 
The three key areas are trade and transport, services and investment faciliation. 
5. How often does this group plan to meet? 
They would hold the diologue once a year.
6. What do they intend to keep in their "knowledge bank"? 
They intend to keep possible tools members can use to pursue effective reforms and also bank data of all regulatory reforms ASEAN members have made. 
7. Who was the chairman of the meeting? What is his title? What is the population and GDP of his country? 
How does it compare to Australia? 
The chairman of the meeting is Date Lim Jock Hoi and his title is Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary. The population of Brunei is 400,000 and the GDP is $US 11.47 billion. This compares to Australias population of 22,000,000 with a GDP of $US 924.84 billion. 
8. What do you think that economic integration means?  
I think economic integration means that trade is fair between the different states of the country such as between Queensland and NSW. This would allow all tarrifs and taxes which are placed upon trade between the states to be removed and make it easier to trade within the country. 
9. Do you think that this is good or bad for Australia?
I think this is great as it allows trade to be moved between and throughout the country for a lower price and therefore passing the savings onto the people which will use and buy the products. It will also make it better for the economy as there would be more trade throughout the country and prompting more economic