ISDS Case Map
ASEAN
Burma and the US elections are singled out as sticking points.
The recently-signed trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) between the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will sooner or later lead to a free trade agreement (FTA), and this will prove disastrous to the vulnerable sectors of the region, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.
Local leaders expressed differing views on whether the Philippines has the capacity to enter into a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with the United States or be lumped together with its Asean neighbors in a region-wide FTA agreement.
After resuming talks on a free trade pact, India and ASEAN are likely to hold another round of discussions in Kuala Lumpur next month and later in Kochi, with a view to finish negotiations by the end of this year.
Thailand, the sole Asean country yet to sign the grouping's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea, hopes to resume negotiations with Seoul before the Asean Summit in Cebu in December.
The United States on Friday signed a trade and investment pact with Southeast Asia in a bid to bolster its influence in the region, which is growing closer to China.
The United States has no plans to begin new bilateral free trade negotiations with other nations, and will focus on successfully concluding the four it is actively pursuing, Washington's top trade envoy said Friday.
ASEAN countries agreed to accept South Korea's request to recognize some products from a North Korean industrial park as South Korean as part of their plan for a free trade pact, officials here said Thursday.
The Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks could be concluded in 2007, despite some wrangling over issues like government procurements and environment.
Asean's plan to narrow the gap on rules of origin regulations pose no hinderance to the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand and Australia.
