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ASEAN

EU to sign Asean amity, cooperation treaty
14-Sep-2008 The Nation
Despite Thailand’s political uncertainty the European Union remains keen to negotiate a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with the Kingdom as a way to facilitate progress on a wider Asean-EU FTA.
RI demands OZ, NZ open up service markets under FTA
8-Sep-2008 Jakarta Post
Indonesia has proposed the liberalization of professional and service sectors in Australia and New Zealand under the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries and ASEAN members.
Proliferation of FTAs in ASEAN may impede business activities
5-Sep-2008
Asian economic integration is facing some of its toughest challenges in the form of regional diversity and gaps in modernisation.
China-Singapore: Free trade accord reached
5-Sep-2008 ST
The bilateral FTA is broader and deeper than the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement, whose investment component still remains to be settled.
International labor caucus takes critical look at EU-ASEAN FTA
2-Sep-2008 Partido ng Manggagawa
Workers groups from the ASEAN nations met this August 24-27, 2008 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to take a stand and plan campaigns against the proposed EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement.
FTA to curb India from hiking palm oil import duty
1-Sep-2008 Commodity Online
The much-awaited free trade agreement with Asean nations is bound to affect import and export of several commodities in India. The first one may be palm oil, which is a major commodity for India as it depends on Malaysia for its edible oil needs.
Union, Alliance blast ASEAN FTA
31-Aug-2008
The Maritime Union has blasted a new free trade agreement between New Zealand, Australia and the ASEAN nations, saying it is bad for workers because it includes Burma.
India-ASEAN FTA not to hit southern farmers, says Nath
30-Aug-2008 PTI
Allaying fears of the Left-ruled Kerala that an FTA with ASEAN could harm farmers’ interest in the southern states, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath today said India cannot get isolated in the growing economies of east Asia. "They don’t even know what the agreement is," Nath said when asked to comment on Kerala’s opposition to the FTA.
ASEAN chief says proposed ASEAN-EU free trade pact "challenging"
29-Aug-2008 Channel News Asia
A proposed free trade agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union is "one of the most challenging" ASEAN is negotiating, the bloc’s chief said on Thursday. The two parties had agreed on a schedule for discussions, but were having problems making headway due to the complexity of the talks.
Maritime Union criticizes Myanmar connection in free trade deal
29-Aug-2008 Voxy
The Maritime Union of New Zealand says a free trade deal signed with ASEAN nations including the military dictatorship of Myanmar is bad for workers as it will boost the violently anti-worker regime in Myanmar and threatens workers rights.
ASEAN concludes FTA with Australia, New Zealand
28-Aug-2008 Kyodo
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations concluded Thursday a free trade accord with Australia and New Zealand that will link up the 10-member grouping with the latter’s free trade pact, the sides said.
ASEAN concludes free trade deal with India
28-Aug-2008 AFP
ASEAN nations have concluded a deal for free trade in goods with India, the bloc’s seventh-largest trading partner, ministers said Thursday.
ASEAN pledges to ratify FTA with Japan soon
28-Aug-2008 MCOT
Economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, meeting in Hanoi, have pledged to work for the speedy ratification of an economic partnership agreement with Japan that is expected to take effect before the end of this year. A Philippine official says the pact will come into force on 1 October.
ASEAN, China make substantive progress on investment pact
28-Aug-2008 Xinhua
The Southeast Asian bloc and China announced here Wednesday that they made substantive progress in the negotiations on the bilateral investment pact which is expected to be signed at the Bangkok Summit in December this year.
ASEAN pursues free trade deals as global trade talks in limbo
25-Aug-2008 AFP
ASEAN is set this week to finalise a free trade agreement with India and hold talks with Australia and New Zealand, signalling the importance of regional pacts amid fading hopes for a global trading regime.
Asean wary of EU approach to expanding free trade talks
25-Aug-2008 Bangkok Post
The European Union is considering ’’deeper’’ free trade area (FTA) discussions with Asean members that would cover political issues sensitive for some Asean governments: labour rights, environment legislation, competition policy, transparency in government procurement, and liberalisation in services.
Junta benefits from regional economic tug-of-war
20-Aug-2008 Mizzima
India and ASEAN have announced that talks on services and investment are set to commence next month ahead of a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) to be signed later this year. This latest step in deepening regional economic integration is further evidence of an ever expanding matrix of competing regional economic interests, which Burma finds itself at the heart of.
India, ASEAN to start talks on opening services sector
17-Aug-2008 The Hindu
Having wrapped up long-drawn negotiations on free trade agreement for merchandise goods with ASEAN, India will push for greater market access for services and investment in the 10-nation Southeast Asian trading bloc.
RP pushes local dairy industry dev’t in ASEAN-ANZ FTA talks
17-Aug-2008 Manila Bulletin
The Philippines is pushing the development of local dairy industry as its counter-offer to the 100 percent tariff cut on the same products asked by Australia and New Zealand under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement.
Australia seeks regional free trade deal
11-Aug-2008 The Age
Australia is hopeful of an early conclusion to a regional free trade agreement (FTA) with intensive negotiations underway, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says. The potential deal between Australia, New Zealand and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was discussed at bilateral talks between Smith and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda in Jakarta on Monday.