ISDS Case Map
ASEAN
India is citing the fear of political fallout and its suicide epidemic among farmers as obstacles to hammering out a free-trade deal with Southeast Asia, officials said yesterday.
ASEAN does not discount the possibility of having a free trade agreement (FTA) with all East Asian countries as a whole, said the Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry director Ramon Vicente T. Kabigting. However, it must first consider including agriculture in the agreement for this to materialise, he told reporters.
Asean will set a time frame for India to decide whether it wants to continue with negotiations on the Asean-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a Philippine economic official said Wednesday.
Individual Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) signed or being negotiated by Asean member countries will not affect the grouping's unity or halt its economic progress, Asean Secretary General, Ong Keng Yong said.
Australia, which is keen to tie up a free trade agreement (FTA) with Asean) by the end of 2007, wants the services sector and protection of intellectual property (IP) be given top priority in the trade pact.
The European Union (EU) is well on its way to strengthening its “presence” in Malaysia, and in the South-East Asian region.
An intensification of efforts for free trade agreements across countries is logical after the inconclusive Doha round. India is no laggard-with its renewed vigour on the ‘look east' front, and with pragmatic moves for economic pacts with the US and EU.
Trade talks between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are very much alive, despite reports that they they have been suspended, an Indian minister said Thursday.
India's Commerce and Industry Ministry said yesterday free trade talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were still on and officials from both sides were likely to submit fresh proposals soon.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has suspended free-trade talks with India because of New Delhi's reluctance to open its markets, Malaysia's trade and industry minister said on Tuesday.
