ISDS Case Map
ASEAN
The European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said the two blocs would try to revive plans for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between them.
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is set to visit Manila to primarily discuss trade relations as well as the goal of a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN.
With the TPP axed, RCEP has quickly become the most crucial trade agreement in the Asia Pacific. But to succeed, RCEP must prove itself as an agreement that can successfully link the interests of countries at various stages of economic development.
Negotiators failed to bridge their differences over certain issues such as tariff cuts during the five-day meeting on RCEP
Disagreements over issues range from how to handle intellectual property rights to tariff reductions
Vietnam is coming under pressure from lawmakers in Europe to improve its human rights record before ratification of an EU free trade deal.
Some nations are uneasy about rushing to get the RCEP done, even with the failure of the TPP.
With the United States looking to drop the Trans Pacific Partnership trade scheme, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said Washington will be leaning towards bilateral free trade agreements.
ASEAN centrality has also ensured that RCEP has incorporated Asia’s other large power — Japan — and reflects Japanese preferences as much as those of China.
Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said Malaysia would continue to focus on efforts to conclude the RCEP negotiations as the TPP would not be implemented.
