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ASEAN

Boost for EU’s image
19-Jul-2009 Dawn
It’s been a long time coming. But last week in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and the European Union finally initialled an ambitious cooperation pact aimed at revitalising a so-far uninspiring and lacklustre relationship.
India, ASEAN FTA finalised
17-Jul-2009 The Economic Times
The text of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be signed between India and ASEAN has been finalised.
Free trade delay with China sought: Ministry
13-Jul-2009 Jakarta Post
Bowing to pressure from textile producers, Indonesia’s Industry Ministry has agreed to reassess the costs and benefits of the China-ASEAN free trade agreement, and may even propose a postponement.
Ethical issues for future free trade talks
10-Jul-2009 NZ Herald
The free trade agreement between New Zealand, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations may lead to new layers of complexity in future negotiations.
Empty coasts, barren seas
10-Jul-2009 GRAIN
In this article, GRAIN investigates how Asia’s small fishers stand under the proposed EU–ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA).
FTA with Vietnam set as EU priority under Swedish presidency
5-Jul-2009 VOV News
The European Union is moving ahead with negotiations on a free trade agreement with Vietnam. The process is expected to be completed by October 2010, as the pact is now an EU priority under the new Swedish presidency.
GCC, ASEAN eye new trade bloc based on food, oil
1-Jul-2009 Reuters
Gulf Arab states and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) moved toward building a trade bloc based on food and oil at a joint meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday.
Asean-Canada trade, investment pact closer
25-Jun-2009 The Nation
Asean and Canada will soon finalise consideration of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), preparing the way for free-trade agreement negotiations.
RP set to ratify free-trade pact with Australia, New Zealand
22-Jun-2009 Business Mirror
While not part of the official AANZFTA negotiations, the Philippine government is preparing to ratify the free-trade agreement it signed as a member of ASEAN with the governments of Australia and New Zealand.
China + ASEAN + FTA = East Asian Unification? Not Quite Part II
4-Jun-2009 Brooks Foreign Policy Review
While the United States is generally supportive of ASEAN, it is not in the strategic interest of the U.S. for it to be outside of an Asian economic bloc, especially one that will aid in cementing a strong Chinese leadership position in Southeast Asia.
Asean-Korea FTA on Investment signed
2-Jun-2009 Bernama
ASEAN and South Korea completed their Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation with the signing of the ASEAN-Korea Investment Agreement in Jeju Island, Tuesday.
India set to sign free trade pact with ASEAN by October
1-Jun-2009 Monsters and Critics
India is set to sign a long-awaited free trade agreement with the Association of South-East Asian Nations by (ASEAN) by October, news reports said Sunday.
EC notes lack of Asean commitments for FTA, is open to bilateral deals
18-May-2009 Business Mirror
THE European Commission said it has not been getting commitments from the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations in the negotiations for a free-trade agreement but welcomed member countries of Asean to push for bilateral deals with the regional bloc.
SINO + ASEAN = East Asian Unification? Not Quite Part I
15-May-2009 Brooks Foreign Policy Review
Over the last decade, ASEAN has negotiated free trade agreements (FTA) at breakneck speeds, signing deals with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also in the process of negotiating FTAs with India, South Korea, and China. The deal with China has garnered much attention, because it will create the third largest common market by trade volume, with a population of 1.8 billion and a US$2 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
ASEAN-EU FTA talks frozen
7-May-2009 Jakarta Post
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union have agreed to halt ongoing talks on the free trade agreement.
The EU-ASEAN free trade agreement: Region-to-region versus the bilateral approach
5-May-2009 TNI
"ASEAN should build a different kind of regionalism and not sign bilateral Free Trade Agreements with the EU", says Malaysian MP Mr. Charles Santiago in Brussels in a debate with Mr. Bercero, chief negotiator for the EU in the EU-Korea FTA and Mr. Helmut Markov, chair of the Committee on International Trade of the European Parliament.
SKorea closer to trade pact with ASEAN
1-May-2009 AFP
South Korea will move closer to a full free trade deal with Southeast Asian nations when an agreement on opening up the services sector comes into force on 1 May.
An ’unacceptable’ free trade agreement
30-Apr-2009 Bangkok Post
The free trade agreement the EU has proposed to Asean deliberately undermines the Doha Declaration on patents and public health.
A helping Chinese hand
29-Apr-2009 Asia Times
A new investment fund and loan package to help alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represents the latest overture of China’s "soft power" campaign towards the region.
The jinxed India-Asean FTA
25-Apr-2009 Made in China.com
The India-Asean Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has suffered so many disasters that some observers fear a jinx.