In the paper’s attempt to examine the financial sector, it investigates not only the scope of banking activities in the ASEAN region but the structure of markets and competition as well. It also examines the benefits and costs of a more liberal regime for the international trade in banking services in the region. In addition, it examines the implications of the key concepts and principles discussed in the multilateral negotiations on trade in services to the banking sector in the ASEAN countries and the possibility of increasing competitiveness of banks in ASEAN countries
