Thailand and ASEAN economic ministers will further discuss the grouping's service liberalization, and speed up talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the elimination of non-tariff barriers once ASEAN integration becomes fully effective next year. Somkiat Triratpan, Deputy Director-genera
Thailand and ASEAN economic ministers will further discuss the grouping's service liberalization, and speed up talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the elimination of non-tariff barriers once ASEAN integration becomes fully effective next year.
Somkiat Triratpan, Deputy Director-general of the Commerce Ministry's Trade Negotiations Department, said the ASEAN ministers will focus on promoting more integration in several sectors once the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) goes into effect.
Somkiat said the ASEAN ministers would also look beyond the region's full integration in 2015.
The key issues on the AEM agenda will be the liberalization of the service sector, reduction or elimination of non-tariff barriers and the speeding up of RCEP negotiations so ASEAN and its six partner countries can create the world's largest free-trade agreement.
"Thailand has agreed to promote more integration after the AEC kicks off. The liberalization of the service sector and trade facilitation will be key issues at the ministers' meeting," Somkiat said
Thailand will also raise the issue of promoting ASEAN as the world's supply chain, for which ASEAN countries need to eliminate non-tariff barriers between their nations to boost industrial growth.
At the meeting, ASEAN will sign four agreements on the liberalization of more service businesses; agree to amend FTAs with Australia and New Zealand; sign an FTA with India; and agree on the acceptance of accounting professionals among ASEAN members.