YANGON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and Indonesia are seeking cooperation in various business sectors in Myanmar aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, the local weekly Flower News reported Tuesday. A high-level Indonesian delegation will discuss with its counterparts at Traders Hotel in Yangon on Thursday on agricultural products, construction materials, machine tools, forestry, food, palm oil, rubber, auto parts, textile and clothing. Meanwhile, a Myanmar-Indonesia business meeting was also held in Yangon recently.

Europe has issued a fresh warning of possible revenue losses for Kenya should the East African Community (EAC) fail to reach a trade deal soon. Kenya risks taxation on its exports to Europe by virtue of economic strength if the trade talks stall, Mr Bernard Rey, head of the European Delegation told players in the horticulture sector last week.

The inaugural seminar of the Integration Partnership Forum of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand was held on Saturday in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to discuss the benefits of regional economic integration and multilateral trade deals. The forum which was initially proposed by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in discussions with ASEAN leaders last October. It was further developed by Key and Australian PM Julia Gillard in February this year.

New Delhi (PTI) Taking its market opening pact further with the 10-nation Asean bloc, India today announced implementation of its free-trade agreement with Philippines. Under the pact India, will slash import duties on thousands of goods imported from Philippines on a reciprocal basis. With the trade pact becoming operational with Philippines, the agreement signed with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc in 2009 has now become functional with the nine member countries.

China’s Ministry of Finance has announced import tariff reductions on a total of 33 goods, including gasoline, diesel and aviation kerosene, from July 1, 2011.The Ministry explained the decision to reduce the duties as a means to ensure the supply of raw materials and equipment, reduce trade imbalances, promote economic growth and strengthen domestic disaster relief and emergency supplies.

Several countries blocked moves to add chrysotile asbestos to a list of dangerous substances subject to export restrictions under the Rotterdam Convention, a UN spokesman said Friday. Canada, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam all objected to the move, said a spokesman for the UN environment program, Michael Stanley-Jones. “That chemical will come then before the next conference of the Rotterdam parties in 2013,” he added. Asbestos is used in insulation and fire protection but in some forms is a highly dangerous cancer-causing material

Press Trust of India / New Delhi - To protect farmers’ interests, India has made it clear to EU that duty-free imports of wheat, barley, lemons, apples, pears and meslin flour will not be allowed under the proposed free trade agreement (FTA). "The EU has asked for duty elimination on wheat, barely, apple, pear, lemon and meslin flour. We have clearly explained to them that India cannot offer concessions on any of these products," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.

Economic Partnership Agreements are undertakings to create a Free Trade Area (FTA) between the European Commission of the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Benjamin William Mkapa explores whether it is worthwhile for the EAC.

PTI, NEW DELHI: Amid speculations of India giving in to EU’s demand on lowering duty on imported cars in the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), the auto industry has cautioned that if such a concession was granted, future investments in the sector in the country will be hit.

JAKARTA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government will likely change the regulation that sets the crude palm oil export tax amid growing protests from producers, a senior trade official has said here. The Jakarta Post quoted Trade Ministry foreign trade director general Deddy Saleh as saying on Saturday that the new rule would expand the use of palm oil reference prices to three markets -- Jakarta (Indonesia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) to ensure more accurately reflected market prices.