In early May, the renowned Brussels think tank CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies), with the bank BBVA, organised a between high-level representatives from the EU and Mexico aiming to provide an overall review of the EU-Mexico trade relationship. The conference highlighted and discussed new opportunities for enhancing the EU-Mexico Free Trade Agreement during upcoming negotiations.

GENEVA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- WTO's Director-General Roberto Azevedo Sunday welcomed the strong statement of support issued by APEC trade ministers at their meeting in Boracay, the Philippines, and underscored that continued backing from APEC will be "critical" to reaching agreement on a work program for concluding the Doha Round. The meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, held on Saturday and Sunday, included a detailed discussion of APEC's ongoing support for the multilateral trading system across a range of areas.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is one of the largest trade agreements ever attempted. The treaty will bring about significant economic benefits, but it may also lead to the further economic isolation of Russia unless Moscow begins to embrace greater trade liberalization in Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam is on track to becoming the first Southeast Asian nation to ratify the landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In December 2013, WTO member countries unanimously endorsed the TFA at the conclusion of the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia. To date, only four WTO members — Hong Kong (China), Singapore, the US and Mauritius — have secured domestic acceptance of the TFA.

SINGAPORE — The chief of the World Trade Organization (WTO) said today (May 25) the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, if reached, would have a positive impact on the WTO’s global trade talks. “Some suggest that such agreements may undermine our efforts to build a stronger multilateral trading system. I fundamentally disagree with that assessment,” WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo said at a seminar organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the Temasek Foundation in Singapore.

The Vietnam – Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) signed on May 5 reflects a high level of commitment from both sides and is set to both challenge and benefit the Vietnamese economy in the future. 

China and Colombia have expressed an interest in signing a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Bogotá, Colombia, on May 21, 2015, to explore opportunities to deepen trade ties with the South American nation. Following a meeting with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the Chinese Premier told reporters that the two countries have agreed to conduct a feasibility study on an FTA.

GUAM – Trade negotiators for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement in Guam are now focusing on intellectual property issues, which appear likely to be the last hurdle to concluding the talks. Chief negotiators from Japan, the United States and 10 other countries engaged in the negotiations were working Saturday to narrow down the issues that should be left to high-level political decisions, with a view to reaching a broad agreement at the next ministerial meeting, expected to be held next month or later.

The United States is optimistic a deal to set up a free trade zone across the Pacific will be concluded soon, with sensitive issues likely to be ironed out when its Congress resumes sessions, the top U.S. trade official said on Sunday. "We are very much in the end-game," U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told reporters after a two-day trade ministers' meeting on the Philippine island of Boracay.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Trade ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific countries on Sunday issued strong support to the World Trade Organization's efforts to boost global trade amid a flurry of regional free trade agreements. The ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping of nations vowed at the end of their two-day meeting on the central Philippine resort island of Boracay to ratify by December a landmark trade facilitation deal and to contribute to a work program to conclude the much-delayed Doha round of trade negotiations.