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ASEAN

PH lags behind Asian countries in world trade: DTI
28-Nov-2011
The Philippine private sector has failed to maximize the preferential terms in trade agreements with developed economies, thus, placing the country in a low position in global trade with respect to its Asian neighbors.
Services sector deal with asean bloc stuck
23-Nov-2011
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will reach Bali on Thursday to hold meetings with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and attend the East Asia Summit over the weekend, but a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the 10-member regional bloc remains elusive.
Different trade agreements will not divide ASEAN: RI
21-Nov-2011
Despite different stances on the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact, Southeast Asian nations will stay together to consolidate trade deals they already have with six partner countries to boost trade within the group, an Indonesian official says.
PM sets March 2012 deadline for services FTA with Asean
19-Nov-2011
There are few places in Southeast Asia that carry as deep an imprint of India’s civilisational links as Bali, a majority Hindu island in a country that has the world’s largest Islamic population.
ASEAN’s newer members and the Asian noodle bowl: coming to grips with multilateralism
17-Nov-2011 EABER
Jayant Menon discusses the trade policy challenges faced by Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam (CLMV)—the newest members of ASEAN. The paper concludes that the multilateralised single-rate system is a better alternative to the multiple-rate system and thus suggests that CLMV countries should follow the original ASEAN members and multilateralize their CEPT tariff preferences. It encourages both old and new members to do the same, especially in the context of proliferating ASEAN+1 FTAs
ASEAN prepares framework of principles for Asia-Pacific wide FTA
17-Oct-2011 Mainichi
This move reflects a deep concern among some member countries that ASEAN could be sidelined by the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership that has attracted attention even as it is being negotiated, especially if Japan decides to come on board, ASEAN official sources said.
Germany supports FTA between EU and Vietnam
10-Oct-2011 SGGP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will push for the conclusion of a free-trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam, which is of great interest to German firms, during her visit to the Asian country this week.
FTA with Asean hurting domestic market, reveals Ficci survey
26-Sep-2011
The India-Asean Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect from January 2010, has been a mixed bag so far. While more opportunities have opened up for Indian industries, in terms of greater market access for their products in the Asean region, the duty reduction on imports from Asean countries, in turn, has hit India’s domestic market.
Pakistan to ink FTAs with ASEAN, GCC
20-Sep-2011
Pakistan expects to seal Free Trade Agreement (FTAs) with two promising regional groupings to boost the country’s trade performance, Secretary Commerce, Zafar Mahmood has said. “Pakistan is to sign the agreements with ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council,” he said in an interview here following the conclusion of Pakistan Malaysia Business Forum and the meeting of Joint Review Committee on FTA
Ongoing negotiations for EU-S’pore FTA progressing well
4-Sep-2011
Negotiation for an EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) is progressing well.
Philippines refuse to open up its services market to Indian professionals
17-Aug-2011 Economic Times
The Philippines has refused to make any meaningful offer to open up its services market to Indian professionals, thus playing the spoilsport in the recent India-Asean services negotiations in Indonesia.
Sharma to push Asean on services deal this week
10-Aug-2011 Business Standard
Trade ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and India’s minister of commerce and industry, Anand Sharma, meet this week to push the much-awaited services trade deal, that got stuck over the issue of movement of professionals.
Taiwan intends to hold FTA talk with Indonesia
5-Aug-2011 CENS
After negotiating with Singapore on economic partnership, Taiwan now studies similar talks with Indonesia to sign free trade agreement (FTA) to be member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
China the big export winner, Thailand ’not fully benefiting’: TDRI
5-Aug-2011 The Nation
China seems to be the manufacturing base that is benefiting the most from the free-trade agreement with Asean countries, as the value of exports from China to Asean in three major industries have increased significantly over the past decade, according to the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
Indonesia ready for FTA with New Zealand, Australia
30-Jul-2011
Indonesia is ready to soon implement a free trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand as part of a free trade pact signed by ASEAN and the two countries.
Philippines prepares for regional economic integration by ’15
26-Jul-2011
The Philippines will be focusing on beefing up regulatory reforms in various sectors, in preparation for integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.
First GCC-Asean business forum set
26-Jul-2011
Aiming to explore further trade and investment opportunities in many areas, the Sultanate will host the first GCC-Asean Business Forum in February next year.
Exporters urged to use lower tariffs under free trade deal
25-Jul-2011
Filipino exporters are encouraged to take advantage of reduced tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) to increase their exports of goods and services to Australia, the world’s 13th largest economy.
GCC-Asean FTA discussed
14-Jul-2011
Officials at the GCC and Asean countries stressed the importance of enhancing co-operation in the fields of trade and investment and exploring the possibility of negotiation regarding the Free Trade Agreement between the two groups.
Customs misses 1st-half target by 8.6%
14-Jul-2011
The Bureau of Customs on Wednesday said its collections in the first six months were 8.6-percent below target due to a strong peso and partly as a result of slower imports following Japan’s twin disasters in March.