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ASEAN

India studying FTAs for unilateral trade preference to all LDCs
2-Oct-2006
India has undertaken a study of its existing free trade agreements (FTAs) like Safta and the proposed ones like Asean FTA and Southern African Customs Union FTA.
Coup no threat to trade talks
25-Sep-2006
Thailand has assured New Zealand that trade talks are not in danger after last week’s military coup.
What’s to become of them?
18-Sep-2006 New Straits Times
Some 11,700 tobacco farmers in Malaysia - most of them in Kelantan - will be affected come 2010 when the original Asean members of Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore enact zero tariff rates on virtually all imports.
Mandelson call for bilateral EU-Asian trade agreements
18-Sep-2006 FT
Peter Mandelson, the European Union trade commissioner, will today call for the EU to negotiate new bilateral trade deals with countries in Asia, a further sign that hopes of a successful global trade agreement are dimming. The targets: India, Korea and ASEAN.
Workshop discusses competitiveness of Viet Nam’s farm produce in China
18-Sep-2006
Viet Nam’s farm produce are facing challenges in the Chinese market as a result of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (AC-FTA), in particular stronger competition from the products of other ASEAN countries.
Japan looks to play leading role in regional trade
14-Sep-2006
Amid growing concern that Japan could be left behind by the proliferation of regional trade agreements, the government recently floated a proposal for what it describes as a comprehensive economic partnership for East Asia.
Asean wants 600 items in free trade negative list
13-Sep-2006 Economic Times
Asean has come up with a composite negative list of 600 products for the proposed Indo-Asean free trade agreement.
EU officials to discuss Asian trade deal with Philippines
13-Sep-2006 Easy Bourse
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European trade chief Peter Mandelson will discuss plans Tuesday with Philippine officials for an ambitious trade agreement between the European Union and a group of Southeast Asian countries, EU officials said.
Malaysia urged to diversify trade pacts beyond Asean
13-Sep-2006 Business Times
Malaysia should diversify its trade agreements beyond its traditional trading bloc in the Asean region and focus on expanding liberalisation of trade policies to enhance its competitiveness in global trade.
US-ASEAN TIFA (2006)
6-Sep-2006
’Vision group’ says Asean and EU regions would benefit from pact
6-Sep-2006 Bangkok Post
Burma and the US elections are singled out as sticking points.
ASEAN framework deal with US may be disastrous to economy, warns IBON
1-Sep-2006 IBON
The recently-signed trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) between the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will sooner or later lead to a free trade agreement (FTA), and this will prove disastrous to the vulnerable sectors of the region, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.
Officials at odds over US trade deal
29-Aug-2006 Manila Times
Local leaders expressed differing views on whether the Philippines has the capacity to enter into a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with the United States or be lumped together with its Asean neighbors in a region-wide FTA agreement.
Next India and ASEAN talks on FTA in Kochi
28-Aug-2006
After resuming talks on a free trade pact, India and ASEAN are likely to hold another round of discussions in Kuala Lumpur next month and later in Kochi, with a view to finish negotiations by the end of this year.
Thailand hopes to resume FTA talks with S. Korea before next Asean Summit
26-Aug-2006
Thailand, the sole Asean country yet to sign the grouping’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea, hopes to resume negotiations with Seoul before the Asean Summit in Cebu in December.
US signs trade pact with ASEAN
26-Aug-2006 ABS-CBN
The United States on Friday signed a trade and investment pact with Southeast Asia in a bid to bolster its influence in the region, which is growing closer to China.
US: No plans to begin new trade talks
25-Aug-2006
The United States has no plans to begin new bilateral free trade negotiations with other nations, and will focus on successfully concluding the four it is actively pursuing, Washington’s top trade envoy said Friday.
ASEAN countries accept N. Korean park in free trade deal with S. Korea
25-Aug-2006
ASEAN countries agreed to accept South Korea’s request to recognize some products from a North Korean industrial park as South Korean as part of their plan for a free trade pact, officials here said Thursday.
Asean-Australia-NZ FTA may be concluded in 2007
25-Aug-2006
The Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks could be concluded in 2007, despite some wrangling over issues like government procurements and environment.
Rules of origin regulations no hinderance, says NZ’s Goff
24-Aug-2006
Asean’s plan to narrow the gap on rules of origin regulations pose no hinderance to the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand and Australia.