Brussels, 15/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The day after the formal opening of talks in early March (when EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht visited Asia) on an EU-Singapore free trade agreement, European Commission negotiators and officials at Singapore's industry and trade ministry concluded their initial four-day negotiating meeting on 12 March 2010. In a joint statement issued after the talks in Singapore, both sides describe the talks as constructive on a wide range of issues to be covered by the agreement, including trade in goods and services, rules of origin, investment, intellectual property, public tender, customs, health and plant health, technical trade barriers, competition, sustainable development and dispute settlement. The next round of talks will be held in Brussels from 31 May to 4 June 2010. (E.H. trans fl)