Thailand: Ambassador confirms EU’s FTA interest

• The EU ambassador to Thailand has affirmed that the bloc is poised to resume long-delayed free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the EU.
• Pirkka Tapiola, the EU ambassador to Thailand, said the EU is ready to renew talks after five years on ice, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who met Mr Tapiola on 12 Sep 19. Both sides also agreed to resume FTA negotiations between Asean and the EU.
• Mr Tapiola said the negotiations will commence after the EU settles on a new European Commission in Oct 19.
• Thailand is also ready to conduct bilateral strategic partnerships with individual members of the EU, Mr Somkid said, noting that FTA talks take time.
• He said the EU has shown interest in taking a greater role in trade and investment in Asean and is keen to join the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
• Mr Somkid said EU investors also expressed intent to use the Eastern Economic Corridor as a production base to export to other countries in the region. The EU agreed to help promote Thailand’s 12 targeted industries that focus largely on high technology.

External Link : https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1748799/ambassador-confirms-eus-fta-interest