The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia

The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia

The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, the ERIA is a policy thinktank that was proposed by Japan at the the Second East Asia Summit and approved at the third EAS. The ERIA's aim is to contribute to efforts for East Asian integration in policy areas varying from Transport to Human Resource Development, Infrastructure and so on. The ERIA'S main task is to provide the policy analyses and recommendations to Ministers in conjunction with the ASEAN Secretariat and other research institutes.

The ERIA Governing Board, the supreme decision-making body of ERIA, comprises the Secretary-General of ASEAN and 16 members from the East Asia Summit countries with various backgrounds such as business, academia and policy makers. Dr. Dinh Van An, President of Central Institute for Economic Management of Viet Nam, is the Chairperson of ERIA Governing Board.

The inaugural meeting of the ERIA was held on 3 June 2008 in Indonesia. Until its own administration is established the ERIA will be located with the ASEAN secretariat. In 2009 it was said that ERIA was working on a master plan for Asia. The plan aims to maximize industrialization through the development of much needed infrastructure.