The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, produced as part of the USAID ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (US-ACTI) project, implemented by Nathan, emphasizes that the AEC should have “more transparent, consistent, and predictable investment rules, regulations, policies and procedures” (para. 28). To fulfill this objective, ASEAN’s regional investment agreements—whether in the form of standalone international investment agreements or investment chapters in ASEAN’s comprehensive free trade agreements (FTAs)—must be examined.

The following three areas are of immediate significance to the monitoring and implementation of the ASEAN regional investment treaties: 1) Information transparency and coordination; 2) Treaty incompatibility; and 3) Monitoring, coordination, and implementation.