European Times: What is the state of affairs in bilateral and multilateral economic relations between Malaysia and the EU?
Roberto Benetello: The EU and ASEAN have enjoyed a close relationship in the past 30 years. Both share a commitment to regional integration for fostering stability, building prosperity and addressing global challenges. The EU is providing support in developing harmonized legislative frameworks and common practices. Malaysia and the EU cooperate in a wide range of areas such as: higher education, environment, human rights, and sustainable economic development. However, cooperation in trade and economic issues has been the driving force for ever closer ties. The EU delegation the Malaysia and the EUMCCI have been key players in sustaining strong relationships between stakeholders from both sides of the equation. The EU is a strong advocate for the development of Malaysia’s service sector, assisting its international competitiveness.