- 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
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.
18-Jun-2007
Malaysia’s halal standards are not an issue hindering the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and New Zealand, New Zealand High Commissioner to Malaysia David Kersey said.
11-Jun-2007
Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had agreed upon the need for early finalization of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reports Monday.
29-May-2007
Malaysia will allow import of Pakistan’s textile products free of duty under a new free trade agreement.
