Presentation
Asia-Europe Business Forum 12
Chairman's Statement of Asia Europe Business Forum 2010
Held biennially, the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) is the main multilateral channel for communication and dialogue between Asian and European government leaders since 1996. ASEM involves virtually the whole of Asia and Europe. The location alternates between Europe and Asia. The last ASEM meeting was held in October 2008 in Beijing. Next edition will take place in Brussels in October 2010.
The Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) is a meeting of business leaders, created to strengthen economic co-operation between the business sectors of Asia and Europe. The AEBF convenes in parallel with the ASEM Summit. The AEBF develops recommendations that are addressed to the governments of the Asian and European countries participating in the ASEM process. The recommendations aim at enhancing economic co-operation between the two continents, based on the experience and knowledge of business leaders. The AEBF12 will be held on the 4th of October 2010 in Brussels, Belgium. The Forum takes place during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union and is coordinated by the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (VBO-FEB).
The AEBF12 will focus on the financial sector. A limited number of high profile business executives from the European and Asian financial sector will be invited to participate. This way, the AEBF12 will provide an intimate forum for expression and debate on key issues in the financial sector.
“Financial Services Industry: Opportunities and Challenges for Asia and Europe” will be the main theme of the day. The Forum would start with an official opening, followed by two plenary sessions (one on “Restoring Financial Stability” and one on “Towards an Integrated Market for Financial Services”) and a networking buffet. The afternoon programme would be devoted to testimonies on the growing role of Asia on the world financial stage, interesting keynote speeches on “the financial centers of tomorrow” and “the importance of an efficient capital market from a user’s perspective” and 3 parallel break out sessions. Moreover, on the following day, a limited business delegation will be offered the opportunity to discuss the forum’s final recommendations with the heads of State during an ASEM breakfast meeting in the Royal Palace, Brussels.
