- Negotiations
Compared to its neighbours in Southeast Asia, Malaysia was late to get on the FTA train. But now it does not want to be left out of the major deals, it seems.
Malaysia signed its first FTAs with Japan in 2005. In 2007, it signed with Pakistan. It also has FTAs with Chile (2010) , India (2011) and New Zealand (2009), It has been in FTA talks with the US, but these have effectively been shelves since 2009. It is in negotiations with Australia, and may commence negotiations with the GCC and EFTA.
As member of ASEAN, it is also party to the agreements with China, India, Korea and Japan, and the negotiations with Australia/New Zealand and the EU.
last update: May 2012
Photo: MTUC
6-Aug-2008
Local companies must step up their competitive edge to compete with products of foreign companies that will enter the Malaysian market in the goods and services sector under the liberalisation process of the World Trade Organization, Free Trade Agreements and Asean Framework Agreement on Services.
31-Jul-2008
Bernama
In order to fully realise FTA benefits, the government says it is imperative that Malaysian companies restructure and diversify their activities, rationalise industries through relocation of certain products to lower cost producing countries, move to higher-value added products and establish strategic partnerships or alliances with others.
25-Jul-2008
Bernama
The European Free Trade Association and Hong Kong are keen to establish a free trade agreement with Malaysia.
11-Jul-2008
Malaysia is currently negotiating an FTA with the USA and the European Union and as with any North-South FTAs their scope are extensive. The Third World Network has produced a preliminary report looking at the likely impact of these FTAs on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.
2-Jul-2008
Indian and Malaysian trade negotiators are racing to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CECA) by next year, with another eight rounds of talks to go.
28-Nov-2007
Asia Sentinel
Malaysia’s racial policies look as though they could become an international issue rather than a purely domestic one. A Free Trade Agreement with the US is stalled partly on the issue of racial preferences. And if the much vaunted ASEAN Free Trade Area is to allow free movement of capital and skilled labor, Malays cannot be shielded from competition with ASEAN’s 400 million people.
23-Nov-2007
Malaysia and India will enter into a comprehensive negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) in January next year, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said today.
12-Nov-2007
New Straits Times
Malaysia and Pakistan have signed a trade pact, Malaysia’s first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
31-Jul-2007
Bernama
The conclusion of negotiations for the Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement may take longer than expected as Malaysia cannot agree to Australia’s requests which go beyond the World Trade Organisation agenda, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said Monday.
3-Jul-2007
Syria has proposed negotiation on a Malaysia-Syria free trade agreement (FTA) at the first joint trade commission meeting, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said today.
