Commerce Minister of Thailand Jurin Laksanawisit made the statement following a meeting in Brussels with the E.U. Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. Dombrovskis wrote on Twitter that both sides want a comprehensive, high-quality agreement, with ambitious and sustainable provisions. The E.U. is now Thailand's fifth largest trade partner, behind ASEAN, China, the U.S. and Japan. Two-way trade hit 41 billion USD last year, of which, Thailand’s exports to the E.U. totaled 22.8 billion USD, mostly computers, equipment and spare parts; gemstones and jewelries, air conditioners and components, rubber products and electronic circuit boards. Thailand currently has 14 FTAs with 18 countries, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that came into effect early last year. On December 15, 2022, the two sides signed the Thailand-E.U. Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) to promote bilateral cooperation. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about Thailand, E.U. to resume FTA talks in March
Sfi sustainable food initiative
Vietnam’s youth union to plant 20mn trees in 2023
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the largest organization of young people in Vietnam, will plant 20 million trees this year, said first secretary of the Central Committee of the union Bui Quang Huy. The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on Saturday cooperated with the Party Committee and the People’s Committee of Hoa Binh Province in northern Vietnam to launch the Tet tree planting movement. At the launching ceremony, Huy informed that young people nationwide would plant 1.9 million trees on the day. In Hoa Binh alone, young people planted 30,000 trees. This is the first step to realize the target of planting 100 million trees in 2022 – 27, heading toward the prime minister’s plan to cultivate 100 million trees. Huy also asked each young person to plant, take care of, and protect at least a tree in their workplaces, schools, and residences. He required the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at all levels to come up with solutions to apply … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s youth union to plant 20mn trees in 2023
E.U. to focus on deepening economic ties with ASEAN: diplomat
The diplomat said that the signing of the E.U.-ASEAN comprehensive air transport agreement, the first ever region-to-region aviation agreement in 2022, will provide quite a boost to air connectivity between the 37 countries involved. The E.U. wants to invest more in the region, he said, adding that leaders of the union have announced 10 billion EUR (10.88 billion USD) in investment in Southeast Asia in the next couple of years through the “Global Gateway” sustainable investments in the region at a hope to address some of ASEAN's big connectivity needs and build on some of the successes in that respect of our previous cooperation. He noted that the E.U. has already signed free trade agreements (FTA) with Singapore and Vietnam. The union will open negotiations for FTAs with other ASEAN countries, while resuming FTA negotiations with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Driesmans said that the E.U.’s second priority is to develop a joint green and sustainable agenda … [Read more...] about E.U. to focus on deepening economic ties with ASEAN: diplomat