PIA | 11 March 2026
ASEAN digital economy negotiators convene in Manila to advance landmark regional digital trade agreement
MANILA — ASEAN negotiators and legal experts convened in Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila, from 8 to 10 March 2026 for the 18th Meeting of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement Negotiating Committee (DEFA NC) and the 2nd Legal Experts Meeting for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), advancing regional efforts to finalize one of ASEAN’s most ambitious digital economy initiatives.
“Across Southeast Asia, digital platforms are transforming how people work, communicate, access services, and grow businesses,” says DTI Director Marie Sherylyn Aquia. “It is estimated that ASEAN’s digital economy could reach up to two trillion US dollars by 2030.”
The meetings brought together lead negotiators and legal experts from ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat to advance discussions on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). It is a landmark regional framework aimed at strengthening digital trade, improving interoperability of digital systems, and accelerating digital economic integration across Southeast Asia.
Once completed, the Agreement is expected to support safer and more seamless digital transactions across the region, including easier cross-border digital payments and stronger cooperation in protecting consumers and businesses from online scams and cybersecurity threats.
The DEFA Negotiating Committee, composed of negotiators from all ASEAN Member States, continued discussions on outstanding provisions in the draft agreement with the aim of narrowing remaining gaps and further refining the text. The negotiations form part of the Philippines’ Priority Economic Deliverables for its 2026 ASEAN Chairship, which targets the eventual signing of the agreement.
The DEFA also aims to create new opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by reducing barriers to digital trade and helping businesses participate more easily in cross-border e-commerce. “These rules will help support businesses, particularly [MSMEs], through improved cooperation in areas such as digital payments and electronic documentation,” according to Aquia.
Running alongside these negotiations, the Legal Experts Meeting conducted a detailed review of the portions of the draft agreement that have already been agreed upon by negotiators. This process, known as legal scrubbing, ensures that the text is legally sound, internally consistent, and ready for eventual signature by ASEAN Member States.
Director Aquia reaffirmed that the region is committed to bring the Agreement to completion and achieve its signing within the year.
For consumers and entrepreneurs across ASEAN, these efforts could translate into faster and more secure online transactions, wider access to digital services, and greater opportunities to participate in the region’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
