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BIMSTEC


The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or BIMSTEC, groups together Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The seven-country forum aims to achieve its own free trade area by 2017.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Palácio do Planalto/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Political problems no threat to FTAs, says Kantathi
9-Aug-2006    
Thailand yesterday dismissed news reports that political problems at home had delayed negotiations on free-trade agreements (FTAs) among members of the regional Bimstec trade bloc.
'New Thai govt may push forward BIMSTEC FTA'
7-Aug-2006     Financial Express
The sagging negotiations on the proposed BIMSTEC Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement are likely to get momentum after a new government is installed in Thailand through October 18 elections, the Thai foreign minister said in the city Sunday, report agencies.
BIMSTEC Taking Shape, Finally
27-Jul-2006    
The Bay of Bengal for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), a regional trading bloc of seven South and Southeast Asian countries, is giving final shape to its free trade agreement in Colombo this week.
BIMSTEC to propose new date for FTA
19-Jul-2006     eKantipur
BIMSTEC, an economic bloc consisting seven South and Southeast Asian countries, is resuming trade negotiations next week in order to finalize the bloc's free trade agreement (FTA) and propose a new date for its enforcement.
BIMSTEC to miss FTA enforcement deadline
4-May-2006     eKantipur
BIMSTEC, a bloc of seven countries from South and Southeast Asia, is all set to miss the date of implementing free trade accord, as differences on terms of trade is still wide and members have been failing to convene to discuss those.
Dhaka may provide 522 products with free access
7-Mar-2006    
Dhaka is likely to provide 522 products of three least developed countries (LDCs) of Bimstec with duty-free access between June 2006 and June 2009. The country may also provide the same products of three other developing countries of the seven-nation bloc with duty-free access from June 2011.
TNC fails to finalize free trade accord
16-Feb-2006    
The seven BIMSTEC member countries failed to agree on rules of origin criteria and other outstanding issues, which left text of FTA accord on trade in goods undecided in Bangkok this week.
Bimstec free trade pact set to come into force in July
8-Feb-2006     Asia Pulse
The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) free trade agreement is expected to come into force from July 1 this year, the Bangladesh Parliament was told Sunday.
Bimstec FTA needs to cross one more river
2-Feb-2006    
The proposed India-Bimstec (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan) free trade agreement to be implemented from July 1 2006 has to cross one last hurdle.
BIMSTEC finalizes dispute resolution rules
1-Jan-2006    
Trade Negotiation Committee has finalized rules for settling disputes in BIMSTEC free trade agreement. It has, however, failed to converge on the percentage of value addition for rules of origin.

Referenced sites

BIMSTEC

Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (also includes Nepal and Bhutan)