Client: ARISE+

This study examined the extent to which the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) supported ASEAN Member States in achieving the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) goal of the free flow of services. The study assessed the actual level of services liberalization across several key sectors, including medical and health services, tourism, telecommunications, banking, and insurance across all ASEAN Member States. Using a desk study approach, the research identified variations in AFAS commitments and subsector classifications among countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings remained preliminary and had not yet been fully validated by most ASEAN Member States, except Indonesia, resulting in a cautious assessment of actual practice.