EU Seeks Free Trade Deal with ASEAN

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 08, 2003

EU Seeks Free Trade Deal with ASEAN

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The European Union (EU) is seeking to launch a free-trade pact with southeast Asia on the basis of a plan for regional cooperation once current world trade talks concludes, the European Commission said Monday.

The commission, the EU's executive body, would agree later this week on bilateral deals with individual nations of southeast Asia in areas such as human rights and the fight against global terrorism, along with a trade initiative to encompass the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"What we are also proposing is a regional trade action plan," European Commission spokesman Reijo Kemppinen said.

"If successfuly implemented, it would permit us to give serious consideration to entering into a free-trade agreement once the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations is successfully completed," he told reporters at a daily news briefing.

The regional plan would be known as the Trans-Regional EU-ASEAN Trade Initative, Kemppinen said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The group Last year signed an agreement on talks for a deal with Chinato forge the largest free trade zone in the world, with a population of 1.7 billion.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Berlusconi Sparks EU Uproar with Nazi Jibe

France to Urge EU Lift its Restriction on Military Technology Export to China

Russia Threatens to Ban EU Poultry

Tripod Set Up in Deng's Hometown to Commemorate Anniversary of His Birth ( 3 Messages)

Chinese Regard Haphazard Spitting as most Disgusting Habit ( 3 Messages)

Chinese Mainland, HK Vows to Forge Closer Economic Ties ( 3 Messages)

Hu Jintao Addresses Symposium on "Three Represents" ( 3 Messages)

BBC, Downing Street Dispute over Weapon Dossier ( 3 Messages)