Brussels (AFP) - The United States and European Union agreed on Friday to work "full throttle" to secure the world's biggest-ever free trade deal despite growing scepticism on both sides of the Atlantic. Negotiators ended an eighth set of talks on the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, which after nearly two years remains bogged down by activist opposition.

The proposed ASEAN Economic Community could offer new market opportunities for nations such as Japan that are currently in talks to form the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a Malaysian minister has said. Abdul Wahid Omar, who serves in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Economic Planning, said in an interview in Davos, Switzerland, that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have so far implemented 80 percent of the initiatives needed to enable such integration, and that they aim to bring the AEC into existence by the end of this year.

HA NOI (VNS) — Inadequate infrastructure and supporting services are among the challenges that Viet Nam must overcome to become a hub for cross-border trade, especially as ASEAN will soon become an integrated economic community. Infrastructure at border gates such as storage areas, inspection equipment and connecting roads were among the hurdles that must be addressed to improve cross-border trade, according to Nguyen Van Hoi, deputy director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Department of Mountainous Area Trade.

Trade Minister Andrew Robb says he believes agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership could be just weeks away. TPP negotiators are aiming to create a trade bloc around the Pacific rim, including Australia, the US, Japan and Canada. Progress has been slow, but Mr Robb believes a breakthrough is imminent, and a deal could be struck within weeks. "Mid-February to mid-March: that'll be, I think, the timeframe," he said. "We might have to come back again to conclude some things, but that's the intent.

HA NOI (VNS) — A successful 2014 and the promise of bigger export opportunities has given the domestic leather and footwear industry the confidence to set a US$14 billion export target for this year. Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, general secretary of the Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso), told Viet Nam News that the new target marked a year-on-year increase of 15 per cent.

BERLIN: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that Singapore and Germany have cooperated in many areas. And both sides agree on the benefits of a speedy ratification of the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. This would allow the trade pact to come into force so businesses and consumers can enjoy the benefits of greater economic exchange. But after meeting with Ms Merkel on Tuesday (Feb 3), Mr Lee said this will take time, with Europe having its own internal processes to clear the agreement.

During the first half of this year, the European Free Trade Association will support Guatemala's accession to the EFTA-Central America Free Trade Agreement and will resume free trade negotiations with India and Indonesia, the Association's Council agreed on February 3. EFTA, which comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, also announced that a first round of talks towards an FTA with the Philippines will be held at the end of March, and work has begun on establishing a timeframe for talks with Georgia.

TOKYO -- Japan and the U.S. are inching closer to an agreement on import tariffs on U.S. agricultural products as part of the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks. An agreement between the two countries is crucial as failure to strike a deal among the member countries by spring could derail the entire process. Washington has been calling for an elimination of all tariffs.   

(Reuters) - The Obama administration must insist that U.S. trading partners pledge not to manipulate currencies when negotiating trade deals, the Senate Committee on Finance chairman said on Friday. In a speech laying out his conditions for supporting trade deals, Republican Orrin Hatch said addressing currency concerns was key to winning lawmakers' support for a bill to fast-track trade agreements through Congress, and deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The 4th High Level African Trade Committee (HATC) meeting kicked off on 29 January 2015 in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the 24th Ordinary Session of the Summit of the African Union. The HATC meets and provides policy orientation and recommendations to the Assembly on the acceleration and deepening of Africa’s market integration agenda. The meeting was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission and chaired by H.E. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana.