The Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s 2015 creation of an Economic Community is the next stage in the region’s integration, a process sharing many of the EU’s aims but using different means, based on consensus rather than rules. Their integration models differ, yet both have much to learn from the other. Europe’s knowledge of Southeast Asia (SEA), however, does not reflect SEA’s geopolitical importance and is dispersed through the EU. This is the context of the European call for research on Regional integration in South-East Asia and its consequences for Europe. SEA is developing institutions but also a regional identity for its people. Regionality here is not only a political framework but a set of grassroots processes, aspirations shaped by tangible/intangible heritage inherited from history, valorised/devalorised in present-day politics, possessing economic value. This may be studied by multi-disciplinary research in the social sciences and humanities. As part of its aim of placing French research at the heart of Europe-Asia scientific networking, the Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO) wishes to respond to the call. Its proposal for H2020 is provisionally entitled Regional Integration in SEA (RISEA); the project for which it seeks ANR funding (30,000 euros) is named Preparing ‘Regional Integration in SEA’ (P-RISEA). The funding will help the EFEO continue building a research network linking the EU and SEA. This network already exists, in the EFEO’s Asian expertise, partnerships and infrastructure (10 centres in SEA), and its coordination of EC-FP7 project SEATIDE (Integration in Southeast Asia: Trajectories of Inclusion, Dynamics of Exclusion), with a consortium of 5 EU and 4 SEA universities (2012-2016). ANR funding will improve the network’s reach and durability, increasing its chance of success in the call. P-RISEA plans to achieve two aims by the call’s deadline (Feb 2017): 1. Consortium enhancement (Phase 1 May-Oct 2016). The EFEO will convene plenary and consultative meetings to build on the existing network, inviting 8 SEATIDE partners to form the RISEA consortium and create mechanisms for its enhancement with associated or advisory partnerships: -Emerging central/southern European partners, to bring isolated experts into the academic mainstream. -SEA partners, including in Timor-Leste, of interest to EU policy as SEA’s only non-ASEAN nation. -Partners in China, India and Japan, for SEA integration’s “external dimension”. -Public (finance, development) and private sector (media, NGO) non-academic experts, to form a Public Impact Advisory Board. -A European Academic Response Network, to provide targeted policy expertise. 2. Project design (Phase 2 Nov 2016 - Feb 2017) The funding will enable the final consortium to discuss RISEA’s project architecture and research content in areas of scholarly innovation and political concern (anthropology, economics, environment, geography, history, international relations, politics). Proposed research clusters include: Framework Institutions, Emerging Identities, Transnational Mobilities, Water and Human Security. Proposed multidisciplinary topics include: refugees (Myanmar/Thailand); sea (South China Sea, Indian Ocean); impact of demographic and soc/pol change on economic growth; anthropology of ASEAN elites; Lower Mekong water, energy and food security. The project will be designed through discussion with the full consortium, including non-academic advisors. This bottom-up methodology was used for SEATIDE and allowed all partners to identify with project aims during implementation. These meetings and travel of experts to Paris to help write the proposal will be impossible without funding under P-RISEA. In conjunction with help we are seeking from National Contact Points, Paris Sciences et Lettres and other sources, ANR funding will position France at the heart of international research on Asia, Europe-Asia networking and academic counselling for EU policy makers.