Parliament is returning from its summer recess this week, but talks have been ongoing throughout the summer between the UK and the EU over their future trading relationship.

Vietnam's coffee industry is expected to enjoy tax incentives brought about by the implementation of EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), especially as the EU market accounts for approximately 30% of global coffee consumption.

The agricultural production area of the winter crop in northern provinces was expected to increase by 20 percent to meet the increasing demand from China, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and the Netherlands’ Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag engaged in a phone talk on September 1 to discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation between the two sides.

Against the backdrop of stagnation in the World Trade Organization, friction between China and the United States, and growing anti-globalization, momentum has shifted toward regional and bilateral free trade agreements. A free trade bloc of developed economies, led by the US, is gradually being forged.

China gave a further twist to escalating trade tensions with key commodity supplier Australia on Tuesday, halting barley imports from the country’s biggest grain shipping company.

Cambodia and the Republic of Korea (RoK) launched the second round of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) on August 31 as the RoK works to expand its export portfolio to cushion the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Economic Ministers of ASEAN member states and their partner countries on August 28 emphasised the importance of further strengthening regional economic cooperation and promoting economic growth post COVID-19

FREE TRADE agreement (FTA) negotiations between the Philippines and South Korea are still due to conclude this year despite delays caused by the pandemic, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

The 9th AEM-Canada Consultations took place on August 29 within the framework of the 52nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-52).