The ASEM process began in March 1996 with the first Asia–Europe Meeting in Bangkok. It brings together the Heads of State or Government of 10 Asian countries and of the 15 Member States of the EU, along with the President of the European Commission. The initial Asia–Europe summit set in motion a process involving summit-level meetings every second year, ministerial meetings in between and more frequent meetings at the senior-official, working and expert level. The second ASEM summit was held in London in April 1998 and the third in Seoul in October 2000. The fourth summit will be held in Denmark in September 2002. The core ministerial meetings of the ASEM process (foreign affairs, economics and finance) normally take place every year; this year additional meetings of ministers of science and technology, environment and migration have been organised. The ASEM process was founded on the mutual recognition, in Asia and in Europe, that relations between our two regions needed to be strengthened, to reflect the increased importance of Asia on the world stage. The ASEM process reflects our evolution from an ‘aid and trade’ relationship, towards a more balanced and equal partnership. The Commission had already pointed to the need for a new partnership in its Asia strategy of July 1994, shortly before Singapore’s suggestion in November 1994 that an Asia–Europe summit be considered. The importance attached to ASEM has recently been confirmed in the ‘New Asia’ strategy, published in September 2001.