The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization that comprises ten countries in Southeast Asia. While the region has experienced impressive economic growth and development in recent years, it is also facing an increasingly serious threat in the form of illicit trade. The rise of illicit trade has dealt significant blows to biodiversity, human lives and human rights, in addition to causing monetary losses to governments and legitimate businesses. Moreover, the proceeds of illicit trade line the pockets of international organised crime, including terrorist organisations, and undermine governments’ ability to safeguard the health and safety of their citizens. It is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a coordinated response from governments, businesses, civil society, and the international community.
Publications
Examining The Negative Impact of Illicit Trade On The ASEAN Community Vision 2025 (May 2023)
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Illicit trade poses a significant threat to the attainment of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. It undermines economic growth, investment, job creation, crime prevention, and environmental sustainability, among other key objectives. To shed light on this issue, TRACIT has released the report, Examining The Negative Impact of Illicit Trade On The ASEAN Community Vision 2025. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of how illicit trade affects the three communities of ASEAN: the economic community, the political-security community, and the socio-cultural community. It highlights specific examples of illicit trade in key sectors operating in ASEAN and identifies areas of vulnerability that could be addressed through better policies and regulations. The report concludes with specific policy recommendations for consideration by ASEAN governments to strengthen their efforts to combat illicit trade and achieve their shared vision for the region.
Full Report (PDF) |
Tackling Illicit Alcohol in Southeast Asia (September 2022)
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TRACIT in collaboration with APISWA, EU-ABC and AACS launched a joint report 'Towards an ASEAN Community: Tackling Illicit Alcohol in Southeast Asia' at the EU-ASEAN Business Summit in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This report paves the way to effectively counter illicit trade in alcohol in the ASEAN region.
Media Release (English) | Media Release (Cambodian) | Full Report (PDF) |
Tackling Illicit Trade in ASEAN (November 2020)
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TRACIT has joined with the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) to issue a report that sheds light on the growing problem of illicit trade in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The report, titled, “Tackling Illicit Trade in ASEAN”, comes at a time when illicit trade is gaining momentum in ASEAN and as officials prepare for the upcoming 14th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC). The paper investigates various forms of illicit trade in the region, the affected industry sectors and provides critical insight on how government and industry leaders can work together to introduce regulatory changes to confront this pressing issue.
EU-ABC Media Release | Key messages | Full Report (PDF) |