Diep Thanh Kiet, vice chairman of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear, and Handbags Association (Lefaso), said that a 0 per cent tariff rate will be applied to around 50 types of Vietnamese-made footwear products exported to Europe.

Japan yesterday cautioned against haste in the conclusion of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) stressing “substance is more important than timing.”

The White House is preparing to issue the notification to Congress that it will renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

WTO members discussed five new or enhanced proposals to advance services negotiations at meetings of the Working Party on Domestic Regulation and the Services Council on 14-17 March 2017. Four of these proposals aim to ensure that domestic licensing procedures and technical standards do not constitute unnecessary barriers to trade while one proposal relates to the establishment of a trade facilitation agreement for services.

People become aware of the divine power of a mantra only when they no longer hear it.

Australia and China are expected to sign new bilateral agreements on beef exports, energy and security during a four-day visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that began on Thursday.

New Zealand is looking at deals including with the Gulf States, the European Union and eventually the United Kingdom.

Vietnam and Singapore pledged here Thursday to boost free trade, and continue joining regional initiatives including ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).

Europe’s auto suppliers are pushing the European Union to work harder to secure a free-trade deal with the Mercosur bloc to end tariff barriers restricting the current EU exports of vehicles and parts to its South American member countries.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said he is confident that the EU and Japan will reach a deal on a free trade agreement this year.