It is a great pleasure for me to address you at the opening of this 3rd ASEM TFAP Conference on Electronic Commerce and in this ASEM e-Logistics Seminar.

I would like to congratulate the Korean organizers for excellent arrangements and thank them for the warm hospitality extended to us.

Electronic commerce was added to the list of ASEM TFAP priority areas at the ASEM Summit meeting here in Seoul in October 2000. As a result of this important decision two electronic commerce working group meetings were held in 2001 and 2002. These meetings were organized by the Republic of Korea and Finland. In this connection I would like to thank the Korean side for the good cooperation.

Overall goal of ASEM electronic commerce working group is to support and enhance the growth of e-commerce transactions between Asia and Europe. It will aim at identifying and reducing the differences in existing regulations and standards which hinder Asia-Europe transactions. In this work we have also examined the possibilities to establish common standards and norms for Asia and Europe and to enhance our mutual cooperation.

Already in year 2000 when e-commerce was added to the list of TFAP priority areas, a seminar on e-commerce and logistics was selected as one of the specific deliverables. Therefore I would like to thank our Korean hosts for taking measures in this very important issue by arranging this ASEM e-logistics seminar.

The ASEM co-operation is important for the EU and for my country Finland both in political and economic terms. Developing electronic commerce and e-logistics to the full potential between Asia and Europe and between economic actors, can substantially contribute to this purpose. We should aim at as practical results as possible, addressing those areas where the barriers to trade are the highest.

The ASEM co-operation has a very broad agenda reflecting numerous areas for cooperation. Many important issues that are relevant for today's theme have been discussed on earlier occasions. E-commerce is a very complicated and multi-faceted topic. We should use the earlier results and conclusions to the full extent, and successively build on them. In such a way we can best deliver practical solutions and proposals. This is important since as we all know, in this globalizing world, our interdependencies are more evident than ever.

The globalization offers great opportunities for trade and economic activities as well as in pursuing social and political progress, environmental goals or cultural understanding. But as we know, there are doubts and even fears as to the effects of these developments inside and outside our societies. While we see the globalization as a driving force in furthering our economic aims we also have to take into account these voices of hesitation.

Communications technologies create enormous opportunities for industry. e-commerce is a spur towards greater investment in innovative new technology. e-logistics opens up the possibilities of entirely new ways of trading and doing business. It creates global markets with potentially unlimited opportunities¡K