Brexit effect to ASEAN region

Firmansyah Cahyo Kusumo, based on paper future options for the UK-ASEAN Economic Relationship

Brexit or the so-called Britain exit occurred on June 23, 2016 where the incident in the United Kingdom
decided to leave the European Union. This event shocked the world and certainly will cause some impact
on certain countries or regions such as ASEAN. Including Britain's steps to cooperate with ASEAN on
economic opportunities both bilateral and multirateral.

The UK is the largest partner in the field of goods and services for ASEAN (although some EU countries
such as Germany are also a magnet for ASEAN). Where is the biggest market UK is Singapore. Even in this
field, the ASEAN market defeats cooperation between the UK and Japan, South Korea and India. However,
the problem is that currently UK cooperation with ASEAN has not been maximized, compared to UK
cooperation with Singapore which incidentally is an ASEAN country that touched the 6.2 billion figure in
terms of export services.

Looking at the data they have, it is very possible for ASEAN to export to the UK in large numbers.
Especially for export in the form of goods to the UK, because all Asean-10 do this even though the import
value is still greater. In 2016 total export goods amounted to 11,611 billion, while for import goods
amounted to 17,039 billion. This means that there is a comparison of imports with exports of 68%. So this
figure proves that the UK will still be a special partner for ASEAN.

However, the release of the game from Europe Union will certainly also lead to changes in ASEAN.
Where there has been cooperation between the ASEAN-EU and the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action starting from
2018-2022 which is a continuation of the ASEAN-EU enhanced partnership in 2013-2017 as an aid to
achieving the goals of ASEAN, namely the three pillars of ASEAN (ASEAN political security community,
ASEAN economic community, ASEAN socio cultural community). So that the change in Britain's exit from
the EU will certainly change a bit of ASEAN thinking regarding how to keep Britain a partnership for ASEAN
countries in general and the ASEAN region in particular.

ASEAN certainly must continue to hold the full basis of their guidelines which states that parties
outside ASEAN can be involved in the form of Dialogue, Sectoral, and Development. Related to these three
things, there is an idea about the UK to be made a bespoke partnership for ASEAN. This idea is not
necessarily possible because it has to wait from the UK itself. With UK as a partnership, the partnership
will change the view of the UK because they feel that ASEAN is prioritized. However, this role can certainly
change ASEAN's views because it has to "tricky" the ASEAN charter that has been made. Where, the UK
will be directly involved in dialogue, sectoral, and development exclusively. Either the creation of a free
trade agreement and bilateral / multirateral / preliminary program with ASIAN countries.

From this fact ASEAN can position the UK "only" as a business partner. Because the size of all exports
and imports by ASEAN-UK is still quite large and the UK is still interested in the ASEAN market. When
compared to all European Union, UK countries exporting goods and services to ASEAN is 33.7% and
importing ASEAN-owned goods is 30.8%. Considering that the UK has now left the EU it will be a very large
collaboration between countries and countries in ASEAN or countries with the ASEAN region. So there is
a need for special cooperation in accordance with the ASEAN charter so that the UK can be made a State
Special Cooperation. So that it will be a special bond between countries and the region, let alone see that
the UK consists of several countries that will make this collaboration feel special. Then the effects of Brexit
will benefit ASEAN in this regard.