PERHAPS it’s global uncertainties sparked by US President Donald Trump’s volatile policies and the result of a new EU sense of urgency and purpose caused by Brexit — or maybe George Gershwin is right and summertime just makes “the living easy”. Whatever the reasons, Asia and Europe are finally starting a serious and strategic conversation on shared global challenges.

Europeans were active participants at the Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing earlier this month. The EU’s foreign policy chief will be attending the Asean Regional Forum and celebrations of the south East Asian bloc’s 50 anniversary in the Philippines in August.

European and Asian senior officials are meeting in June in Brussels ahead of the ASEM foreign ministers encounter in Myanmar in November. There will be a meeting of ASEM economic ministers in Seoul in September, the first such meeting in nearly 10 years.

It’s not just the frequency of these and other encounters that is significant. Meetings between Asian and European leaders, ministers, policymakers and business representatives take place often enough. But they have often been much too formal and in some cases little more than photo opportunities.

And although important challenges still lie ahead — and regretfully EU relations with India and Pakistan have yet to truly take off — Asia and Europe are slowly but surely expanding the scope and deepening the substance of their conversation.

Significantly, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom is working hard to get trade deals finalised with Japan and several Asean countries. Talks on a region-to-region free trade agreement with Asean look set to be revived.

Lack of clarity on America’s commitment under Trump on issues like global security and trade as well as climate change is one key reason for closer dialogue and contact between Asia and Europe which equally depend on defend the rules-based multilateral global order.

The increasingly volatile international outlook certainly demands stronger Asia-Europe cooperation. Whether it’s North Korea’s erratic nuclear conduct or violence in Syria and Libya, Asians and Europeans are equally concerned by the worsening global security situation and their repercussion.

Refugees, terrorism and violent extremism as well as cybersecurity threats pose a challenge to both Asia and Europe. Tensions in the South China Sea worry Europe which depends on those sea lanes for a large percentage of its trade. Asians are concerned about the impact of Brexit on their investments in Britain and their economic ties with the EU-27. Both regions face the challenge posed by populists, rising inequalities and meeting the aspirations of their young people for jobs and a better life amid rapid technological transformations. Human rights in many Asian countries continue to be a source of strong concern.

As illustrated by their interest in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Asean Connectivity Master Plan and the connectivity discussions within ASEM, both Asia and Europe give priority to forging stronger links between countries and regions encompassing infrastructure but also digital networks and people-to-people ties.

The new EU-Asia relationship has four different components.

First, compelling new global realities are giving a new lease of life to ASEM which, with its informal format and flexible structure, offers a unique platform for an open, no holds-barred brainstorm on all issues of mutual interest.

Second, EU relations with Asean are also advancing. EU foreign affairs and security policy chief Federica Mogherini will attend Asean’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Manila on August 8, marking at the same time 40 years of relations between the two regional bloc’s. Future relations would get a boost if there is a quick Asean decision to open the doors of the East Asia Summit to the EU. Third, although trade relations between Beijing and Brussels remain strained, China’s BRI has the potential to spark a more ambitious and truly strategic EU-China conversation on crucial issues of global peace, security and economic governance.

It would be a mistake, however, to look at BRI solely through a narrow trade and business prism. As EU leaders prepare to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for the 19th EU-China Summit in Brussels, the EU should widen its view of BRI, seeing it as not merely as an economic “project” but as a reflection of Beijing’s ambitious vision of its role in a rapidly-transforming world.

Finally, EU-Japan relations look set for an enormous geo-economic boost following the imminent conclusion of an ambitious comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Maintaining the new momentum in Europe’s ties with Asia’s leading nations will continue to require hard work, clear-headed, strategic thinking and a spirit of compromise. Expectations will also have to be managed.

Let’s enjoy the summer — but also prepare for possible storms and cold weather ahead.

The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Brussels

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2017