Brick by brick : the building of an ASEAN economic community

Against the backdrop of significant developments in regional economic cooperation and integration over the past decade, this book presents some of the key challenges facing ASEAN as it embarks on a bold and ambitious project to establish an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. Organized under the auspices of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program’s Regional Economic Policy Support Facility, the book brings together authoritative studies written by prominent experts and academics on issues pertaining to ASEAN economic integration.

From China to Facebookistan, the Internet has transformed global commerce. A cyber-law expert argues that we must free Internet trade while simultaneously protecting consumers.

On the ancient Silk Road, treasure-laden caravans made their arduous way through deserts and mountain passes, establishing trade between Asia and the civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean. Today’s electronic Silk Roads ferry information across continents, enabling individuals and corporations anywhere to provide or receive services without obtaining a visa. But the legal infrastructure for such trade is yet rudimentary and uncertain. If an event in cyberspace occurs at once everywhere and nowhere, what law applies? How can consumers be protected when engaging with companies across the world?

In this accessible book, cyber-law expert Anupam Chander provides the first thorough discussion of the law that relates to global Internet commerce. Addressing up-to-the-minute examples, such as Google’s struggles with China, the Pirate Bay’s skirmishes with Hollywood, and the outsourcing of services to India, the author insightfully analyzes the difficulties of regulating Internet trade. Chander then lays out a framework for future policies, showing how countries can dismantle barriers while still protecting consumer interests.

Contents Foreword Foreword Acknowledgements by Academic Editor Acknowledgements by Technical Director REPSF The Contributors The Regional Economic Policy Support Facility 1. Introduction: Brick by Brick — The Building of an ASEAN Economic Community 2. What Is a Single Market? An Application to the Case of ASEAN 3. The Challenge of Economic Integration for Transitional Economies of Southeast Asia 4. A Review of Regional Tariffs and Trade in the ASEAN Priority Goods Sector 5. Non-tariff Barriers to Trade in the ASEAN Priority Goods Sectors 6. An Assessment of ASEAN’s Priority Sectors for Fast-track Integration 7. ASEAN Tax Regimes: Impediment or Pathway to Greater Integration 8. An Overview of the Foreign Direct Investment Jurisprudence 9. ASEAN’s FTA Negotiations with Dialogue Partners: Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses in Business Opportunities 10. Conclusion: Towards an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 Index Contents of Accompanying CD-ROM: AADCP-REPSF Phase I Research Program Brick by brick, the building of an ASEAN economic community / Denis Hew What is a single market? An application to the case of ASEAN / Peter J. Lloyd The challenge of economic integration for transitional economies of Southeast Asia / Jose L. Tongzon and Habibullah Khan A review of regional tariffs and trade in the ASEAN priority goods sectors / Rina Oktaviani, Amzul Rifin, and Henny Reinhardt Non-tariff barriers to trade in the ASEAN priority goods sectors / Loreli C. de Dios An Assessment of ASEAN's priority sectors for fast-track integration / Christopher Findlay, David Parsons, and Herb Plunkett ASEAN tax regimes / Ian Farrow and Sunita Jogarajan An overview of the foreign direct investment jurisprudence / M. Sornarajah and Rajenthran Arumugam ASEAN's FTA negotiations with dialogue partners / Rahul Sen and Sanchita Basu Das Towards an ASEAN economic community by 2015 / Denis Hew.