ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) – A Guidebook for Businesses and Investors

Implementing Agency: ASEAN Secretariat
Time: December 2015

Foreword:

"The ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) came into effect on 29 March 2012 to support a free, open, transparent and integrated investment regime in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in line with the goal of achieving an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. This Guidebook aims to assist potential businesses and investors, both domestic and foreign, as well as those who already have their operations in ASEAN by providing an understanding of the ACIA and what it means to their investments.

The ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM), taking into consideration of current and future needs for a comprehensive and robust investment environment in ASEAN, strategised for the ACIA to be forward looking by taking into account the changing global business and economic landscape. The ACIA is also intended to shore up the sustainability of ASEAN towards its economic integration agenda under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and beyond.

With the ACIA, which is a legal document and promises to provide multiple benefits to ASEAN investors under its four (4) pillars of Investment: Liberalisation, Protection, Promotion and Facilitation now in place, we need to ensure the businesses and investors have a good understanding of the ACIA for them to take full advantage of the provisions of the ACIA. This Guidebook aims to do just that.

The ACIA Guidebook explains the provisions of the ACIA and highlights how this would be beneficial to investors and their investments. Created for Businesses and Investors, it aims to help investors, businesses, executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals —domiciled both inside and outside of ASEAN — to have a better understanding of ACIA.

We are optimistic the ACIA will help to surge growth and development dividends to support the ASEAN Economic Community through increased intra and extra investment flows. It is our ardent hope that this Guidebook on ACIA will further enhance and assist in creating ASEAN, for both domestic and global businesses and investors, as a preferred investment destination"

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