EU, S'pore to begin negotiating economic partnership agreement<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Singapore<\/p>\n
European trade commissioner Pascal Lamy said on Tuesday that
\nnegotiations between Singapore and the European Union on an
\neconomic co-operation agreement may start within weeks.<\/p>\n
The pact would fall short of a free trade agreement -
\nsomething Singapore has been eager to explore with the EU - but
\ncould help pave the way for an eventual FTA between Europe and
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Lamy said.<\/p>\n
\"We are currently discussing with member states the detailed
\nnegotiating mandate for such an agreement and hope to be able to
\nstart negotiations very soon,\" Lamy said.<\/p>\n
Asked to give a more specific timeframe, he said: \"within
\nweeks now, very soon.\"<\/p>\n
The Singapore-EU agreement would include economic co-operation
\non the environment, agriculture, transport, energy, industrial
\npolicy, science and technology, education, and culture, Lamy said
\nin a speech to the Singapore Business Federation.<\/p>\n
Lamy reiterated the EU's commitment to multilateral or region-
\nto-region trade pacts in explaining why it has not pursued a
\nbilateral trade pact with Singapore.<\/p>\n
The approach is designed to ensure \"the strong can't cut out
\nthe weak\" and is meant to \"favor developing countries,
\nparticularly the most vulnerable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bilateral co-operation agreement was first proposed two
\nyears ago by former Singapore former Trade Minister George Yeo.
\nYeo now serves as the city-state's foreign minister.<\/p>\n
In Singapore for a two-day visit, Lamy met recently appointed
\nPrime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Yeo and other top leaders to
\ndiscuss the co-operation agreement and World Trade Organization
\n(WTO) issues.<\/p>\n
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
\nMyanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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