This report tracks the progress of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 since 2015. 2015 marks the end of the timeline of the AEC Blueprint 2015. Nevertheless, the commitments towards integration continue with new areas of focus being highlighted, such as the E-commerce and ICT sectors, among others.
The authors tracked the progress of integration by analysing publicly available data and evidence in quantitative and qualitative forms. Information and literature review on programmes and their progress were collated to gauge the level of effectiveness and impact they had on different stakeholders.
This study monitors progress with regard to the implementation of the AEC Blueprint 2025, evaluating all five pillars to take stock of what has been achieved so far and conversely which areas have seen little progress. The report focuses specifically on the developments for the past five years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic before moving on to analysing how the pandemic impacted progress. Finally, the report provides policy recommendations on how the end goals of the blueprint can be achieved. The research was conducted by including input from a diverse range of stakeholders from across ASEAN through interviews, including representatives from multilateral organisations, businesses, and academic institutions.
