ASEAN to integrate logistics services

Southeast Asian countries are moving closer toward integration with a proposed roadmap to integrate freight, transport and other logistics services to move goods more cheaply and efficiently, officials and documents said yesterday.

The initiative, to be signed by economic ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting this week in Manila, aims to liberalize logistics services and enhance the regional bloc's production base in line with ASEAN's move to create a single market by 2015, a final draft of the roadmap showed.

The measures include enhancing competitiveness of ASEAN logistics service providers by expanding their capability and developing their human resources.