The JCC was established under the EU-ASEAN Co-operation Agreement to 'promote and keep under review the various co-operation activities envisaged … in the framework of the Agreement'. It usually meets once every 12 or 18 months. There are six sub-committees: for Trade, Economic and Industrial Co-operation, Science and Technology, Forestry, Environment, and Narcotics.

The work of the JCC was blocked following Myanmar's accession to ASEAN, but a meeting was held in May 1999, with Burma/ Myanmar as a 'passive presence' only. This meeting approved a work programme to re-launch EC-ASEAN Co-operation, the 'New Dynamic' in EU-ASEAN Relations. The Work Programme envisaged action under a number of headings: Responding to the Regional Crisis, Trade (Market Access, Trade Facilitation, Standards, Intellectual Property, Customs, Trade in Services, Investment), Sectoral Aspects (Energy, Environment, Development Co-operation), Inter-Regional Strategy (Regional Integration, Science and Technology), Stronger People-to-People Links (Education and Training, Promotion of Mutual Understanding, Business Co-operation, Narcotics).

Examples of EU-ASEAN programmes:

ASEAN-EU University Network Programme - http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/aunp
EC-ASEAN Cogen - http://www.cogen3.net
ASEAN-EU Management Centre - http://www.brunet.bn/php/aemc/aemc.htm
ASEAN Energy Centre - http://www.aseanenergy.org
ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation - http://www.arcbc.org.ph