What the most favoured nation (MFN) means for India
Pakistan’s decision to grant India most favoured nation (MFN) trading status opens up many potential benefits for both countries; existing trade arrangements will be improved and new opportunities will emerge More...
India sets March 2012 deadline for services FTA with Asean
India Prime minister Singh acknowledged that India’s partnership with Asean had “benefited both” and contributed to the “process of integration and transformation of the Asia-Pacific region”, he pointed More...
ASEAN and China Further Liberalises Trade in Services
Further strengthening co-operation and expanding trade relations, ASEAN and China signed at the sidelines of the ASEAN-China Summit the Protocol to Implement the Second Package of Commitments under the Agreement More...
Balanced trade would fuel American Jobs
Over the past few weeks, President Barack Obama has challenged Congress to come together to approve trade agreements, renew strengthened Trade Adjustment Assistance and pass the American Jobs Act — legislation More...
Trade in Services May Present Greater Challenges to the AEC
Last week, several articles brought attention to the role of services in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Two reports from Thailand indicated that Thai IT companies looked forward to the AEC, while Thai tourism More...
Thailand and India extend benefits of FTA
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Thailand and India will provide tax privilege benefits to at least another 900 Thai items for goods categorised under ‘Product Specific Rules’ (PRS) and merchandise More...
Territorial disputes could jeopardize AEC integration
When Indonesia took the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in January, it could not have asked for a more challenging task than to deal with the military clashes which have erupted between More...
EU switches to bilateral trade negotiations with Asian countries
Asian countries looking to undertake free trade negotiations with large trading partners such as Europe need to look at their own track records on both trade and political practices before starting talks as these More...
Cambodia-Thailand border dispute critical for Asean’s future
Can Asean finally deliver ? Because the original Asean was built on a largely informal arrangement, with consensus-driven decision making among Asean governments, it has so far failed to find a peaceful solution More...
Asean’s future requires changes to achieve more integration
ASEAN needs a change in the way our governments, and indeed all of us, support and view the regional grouping. This game change needs buy-in from broad sections of society and leadership from every sector, including More...