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ASEAN

Lack of FTA reciprocity, non-tariff barriers have hit India’s refined copper exports: Study
24-Oct-2018 Economic Times
Lack of reciprocity in India’s existing free trade agreements (FTA), inverted duty structure, hidden subsidies in Asean economies like cheap electricity provision and non-tariff barriers in developed countries have hit India’s exports of refined copper, a study has said.
Singapore, EU ink landmark free trade agreement
20-Oct-2018 Channel NewsAsia
Singapore and the European Union (EU) on Friday (Oct 19) inked a landmark trade deal that will eliminate tariffs and give businesses across various sectors, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), better market access.
EU - S’pore FTA on track for ratification
19-Oct-2018 Singapore Straits-Times
Ahead of Singapore and the European Union signing a landmark free trade pact today, Europe’s top trade official is confident that it will be ratified by the European Parliament and enter into force by early next year.
TPP takes back seat as Malaysia sets sights on early conclusion to RCEP trade deal
17-Oct-2018 Japan Times
Malaysia is putting a premium on a free trade deal led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, its trade minister told The Japan Times in a recent interview, while also apparently relegating the Japan-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership to the back burner for the time being.
PM Lee Hsien Loong to visit Austria, Belgium, and sign EU-Singapore FTA
17-Oct-2018 Singapore Straits-Times
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrives in Austria on Wednesday (Oct 17) for an official visit, and will travel on to Belgium for a biennial summit of leaders from Asia and Europe.
Plan to upgrade China-ASEAN trade agreement unveiled
13-Sep-2018 Ecns
Chinese Vice-Premier announced that China will work with ASEAN to upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement signed in 2004 and accelerate talks for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Canada explores free trade with southeast Asian bloc
28-Aug-2018 France 24
A deal with the ASEAN bloc would give Canada access to 650 million consumers.
Pakistan to evaluate trade policy on modern lines
18-Aug-2018 The News
Pakistan would evaluate its trade policy according to modern trends, and implement the strategic policy framework 2015/19 in letter and spirit to boost the country’s exports.
ASEAN urges partners to speed up RCEP talks amid US-China trade war
3-Aug-2018 Nikkei
The escalating trade war between the US and China has prompted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to call for accelerated negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade framework involving ASEAN and six partner countries.
India-ASEAN FTA should be reviewed, upgraded: Vietnam
31-Jul-2018 The Times of India
Vietnam’s Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said bilateral ties were on an upswing with several visits of dignitaries exchanged between the two countries recently and an expected "high-level" visit from India slated for later this year.
Chamber hopes for revival of EU-Malaysia free trade deal
17-Jul-2018 The Edge Markets
The EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry is hopeful that the new government will resume talks on the EU-Malaysia free trade agreement.
EU and ASEAN to restart FTA process: PM Lee
16-Jul-2018 Channel News Asia
The European Union and ASEAN have agreed to restart the process of establishing a Free Trade Agreement between them, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Kerala pushes for consensus with other States on FTAs
16-Jul-2018 The Hindu
The Kerala government is reaching out to other south Indian States in a bid to create lobbying power to influence the Central government policy on international trade treaties and to cushion the impact of Free Trade Agreements on various domestic sectors.
RCEP negotiations to start in Tokyo
25-Jun-2018 NHK World
16 members meg trade deal Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is being held in Toyko, Japan. This is 23rd round of negotiations.
India in talks with China, Australia, New Zealand to crack mega trade deal
21-Jun-2018 The Hindu BusinessLine
India is holding bilateral dialogues with China, Australia and New Zealand to get them to agree to less ambitious tariff cuts for sensitive products. The aim is to end the logjam in the negotiations for the mega regional trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
New impetus for Belt and Road from Shanghai Cooperation Organization
13-Jun-2018 The Asset
The 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit provided an opportunity for China to re-affirm its strong relationship with the core countries along the land route to Europe.
Singapore, India trade pact review: tariff cuts, flexible rules of origin announced under CECA
7-Jun-2018 India Briefing
Singapore and India have concluded the second review of their preferential trade pact – the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
Malaysia keen to avoid China’s Belt Road Initiative tangle
7-Jun-2018 The New Indian Express
The Government of Malaysia has said that while it has good bilateral relations with China, it would not be keen to go overboard in getting involved in Beijing’s BRI.
China’s New Silk road faces resistance from India, partners
5-Jun-2018 DW
The highly ambitious Belt and Road Initiative promises to fortify China as an economic superpower. But negotiations around the Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar Economic Corridor are proving contentious.
Can RCEP negotiations be concluded by end-2018?
29-May-2018 The Asean Post
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) inched closer to completion last March when the ministers of all 16 countries met in Singapore for their fourth intersessional meeting. Next up on the almanac for leaders is a ministerial meeting which will be held in Tokyo on 1 July.