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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

BIMSTEC FTA set to kick off on schedule
25-Dec-2005     Kuensel
Apart from a few issues that remain to be ironed out the seven-nation Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) regional grouping is all set to implement the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among the member countries by July 2006 as scheduled.
Free trade pact expected in Kathmandu meet
22-Dec-2005    
The tenth meeting of the BIMSTEC Trade Negotiation Committee (TNC) began here in the capital today.
A strong sub-regional grouping in the making
22-Dec-2005     Financial Express
As a new sub-regional group, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is making its presence felt in this part of the world.
BIMSTEC trade negotiation to begin today
21-Dec-2005    
Trade officials from seven South and Southeast Asian countries are convening in the capital from Wednesday for the 10th BIMSTEC Trade Negotiation Committee (TNC) meeting to finalize a free trade accord on trade in goods.
Some Asian nations eye free trade pact
20-Dec-2005    
A free trade pact between seven South and Southeast Asia nations was likely to be in place by July 2006, Bangladesh's foreign minister said Monday after a meeting of a regional economic forum.
BIMSTEC ministerial meet to implement FTA on schedule, fight terror
19-Dec-2005    
The seven-nation Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation ministerial meet ended here today with a resolve to deepen economic integration by implementing FTA on schedule, relax visa rules and enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism and trans-nation crimes.
BIMSTEC countries to sign FTA early next year
19-Dec-2005     Asia Pulse
BIMSTEC (Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Co-operation) Trade Ministers will sign a free-trade deal on goods at their Dhaka meet early next year.
BIMSTEC meet
18-Dec-2005    
Like SAARC, the South and Southeast Asian BIMSTEC has also become another seven-nation grouping with the inclusion of Bhutan and Nepal in the first BIMSTEC Bangkok summit in 2004 and its 8th ministerial meeting will now take place in Dhaka on 19 December.
Morshed assumes BIMSTEC chair Dec 19: Dhaka wants early enforcement of FTA
14-Dec-2005    
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan who formally assumes BIMSTEC chair with the holding of its ministerial meeting here on December 19 said Dhaka wants early enforcement of the FTA in goods in the BIMSTEC region, as production base in Bangladesh is gradually expanding.
BIMSTEC to set up body for FTA enforcement
15-Oct-2005     Kathmandu Post
The ongoing eighth meeting of BIMSTEC trade-negotiation committee (TNC) has decided to set up a separate body to oversee the enforcement of free trade accord among the seven member states once it is finalized.

Referenced sites

BIMSTEC

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