The European Union (EU) and Southeast Asian countries were urged Monday to beef security and minimise abuse on the Internet as it becomes an important medium of trade, commerce and communications.

"Criminal acts such as phishing, by which unsuspecting victims are tricked into divulging IDs and passwords, can erode public confidence in Internet security as well as cause losses to Internet users," Singapore's Minister for Community Development Vivian Balakrishnan warned delegates from 35 countries.

The Euro-Southeast Asia Information Communication Technology (ICT) meeting included the EU and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members.

ASEAN groups Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myamar.

Noting unsolicited e-mail, or spam, is another dimension of growing concerns on the Internet, Balakrishnan said, "I am sure new forms of crime will develop."

"It would be valuable for the EU and ASEAN to discuss these issues and explore future collaboration under the aegis of multi-lateral international security," he added.

More collaboration in the area of telecom regulation was also recommended by Balakrishnan.

ASEAN and the EU were exhorted to focus on such issues as how converging technologies and services should be handled, innovative universal access policies and ensuring effective competition in the marketplace.

The EU is currently ASEAN's fourth-largest trading partner.