The concept of the EAS Congress was stimulated by the recognition that the pressing environmental problems of the Seas of East Asia and the oceans in general can only be addressed through collaboration and concerted efforts.

The EAS Congress 2003 witnessed the endorsement of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) through the Putrajaya Declaration signed by the 12 Ministers from the region. The adoption of the SDS-SEA is a historical event as it is the very first instrument of the region that provides a common platform of action on the sustainable development and management of the East Asian Seas.