Brussels, 07/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht is in Vietnam until 9 March, with a ministerial meeting with the countries of the South East Asian bloc ASEAN (Brunei, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) on 7-8 March at the centre of his trip. The objective of the meeting is to assess progress in the bilateral economic and trade relations, and to explore ways to strengthen these relations - especially through bilateral agreements. De Gucht will also participate in an EU-ASEAN business summit on 9 March - in which nearly 500 industry representatives will take part.
Having received Thai Minister for Trade Boonsong Teriyapirom and his Burmese counterpart, U Soe Thane, in Brussels at the beginning of the week, De Gucht is due to hold bilateral meetings in Hanoi on Thursday and Friday with the trade ministers of Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and also with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung.
The EU, which concluded a free trade agreement with Singapore in December 2012, is continuing its negotiations with Malaysia and Vietnam, and has this week officially launched negotiations with Thailand. The possibility of negotiations with Indonesia and the Philippines is still being assessed. (EH/transl.fl)