Association of South-East Asian Nations from 1967, now covering the Phillippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Leaders of the 10 member countries agreed to launch a free trade area which will cover a population of 500 million.
It has also been agreed to set up a single market by 2020, modelled after the European Union. Has had a co-operation agreement with the EU since 1980.
Further agreement has been reached to set up three areas of closer co-operation: The ASEAN security community (ASC), the ASEAN economic community (AEC) and the ASEAN socio-cultural community (ASCC).
Links
http://www.aseansec.org/